Redefining The Future
by mindless creations
Summary: When the Gibbs' family are forced to flee and go into hiding, past secrets are revealed making it necessary for them to confront old and new enemies. Gibbs will stop at nothing to protect those he loves even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice. Jibbs, team as family Sequel to Rekindling the Flame and Reversed Psychologies
1. A Gathering Of Friends

**Warning, Notes and Disclaimers - Please Read!**

**1. This is a continuation of my first two stories ****Reversed Psychologies**** and ****Rekindling the Flame**** and continues a de-aging fic. If you don't like, don't read.**

**2. I messed up my timeline in saying it was 2006. It should actually be 2007. I forgot that, in the US, new seasons being in Sept and not Feb like they do in Australia. So, please fast forward a year in your mind, although all characters will stay the same age. Story is set about two weeks after Rekindling the Flame. ****Please remember that, as it is 2007 we, as the audience to the show, have not yet met Senior or Eli David. Somalia hasn't happened and, relationships between the team members are still developing.**

**3. This particular story is ****very AU**** and brings together about 5 years of NCIS story lines that revolve around the whole Amsterdam mission from 1991 with Vance, the Paris mission from 1999 with Gibbs, Jenny and Decker and parts of the Judgement Day episodes. It will ultimately result in the deaths of Anatoly Zukov and Svetlana Chernitskaya****. However, this will take place over a few months rather than years, as I wanted to bring it all together in a different way. Think of it as a kind of 'Sliding Doors' effect as in, different actions and reactions cause different events to take place.**

**4. I feel it's important to say here that I actually really like the characters of Eli David and Senior as they are portrayed in the show. Again, for the purposes of my story, I have written these two very differently and have, very much so, made them the 'bad guys'.**

**5. While definitely not the focus, this story does contain the discussion of and occasional spanking of minors. Again, don't like, don't read.**

**6. I do not own any of the characters - I just like to play with and torture them.**

**7. All mistakes are my own - apologies ahead of time**

Chapter 1 - A Gathering Of Friends

"Tony! Ziva!" called Jenny Shepard as she fiddled with the clasp on her right earring which was stubbornly refusing to fix into place. "Inside please. You need to get ready!"

Standing in the open doorway between the kitchen and the patio, she made one final attempt at clipping the clasp together before ripping the darn things out and forgetting about it. Thankfully, the earring in question relented and finally snapped in place with a satisfying 'click'.

Looking out into the yard she could see movement in the tree house but, as yet, no miniature human forms had presented themselves.

"NOW!" she yelled, to the empty garden at large.

Finally, a small dark head appeared through the tree house door followed by tiny body wearing a pair of denim overalls and a purple t-shirt. As the young girl made her way down the ladder, jumping the final four rungs, she turned towards the house and ran forwards, arriving in the doorway thirty seconds later.

Looking back towards the tree house but seeing no further movement, Jenny peered down at her daughter and asked, "Where's your brother?"

When the only response was a small shrug of the shoulders as Ziva slipped past her and into the kitchen, Jenny turned and reached out a hand, effectively stopping the little girl in her tracks.

"What do you mean you don't know?" she asked, looking into the hot sweaty face before her. "Weren't you just with him?"

"Um…" began Ziva."Well, I was when I left the tree house but I don't know where he is now because he may have moved."

It always amazed Jenny how well five year old Ziva could flaunt the truth without actually lying.

"Ziva," she said in a warning tone. "Where is Tony?"

"I don't know Mommy," answered the little girl, her brown eyes staring innocently into Jenny's green. "He was with me a few minutes ago but he was going to hide somewhere and he didn't tell me where."

"Why was he going to hide?" asked Jenny, amazing herself with how patient she sounded.

"Because he doesn't want to go and neither do I," replied Ziva, crossing her arms and standing defiantly. "Why do we have to go anyway? Can't Abby look after us?"

Not wanting to get into the same argument they had been having for the last week since Ducky had invited them all over for dinner, Jenny took hold of Ziva's head and spun her around towards the living room.

"Go upstairs and get Daddy to run you a bath," she said, pushing Ziva gently in the back to get her moving.

Watching the five year old stomp her way out of the kitchen, Jenny heard her muttering and whining all the way up the stairs.

Turning back to the patio door, Jenny yelled, "Anthony Gibbs, if you wish to turn eleven next Sunday, I suggest you get your butt in here now!"

Hearing movement in one of the trees, Jenny turned quickly to see one of the branches sway slightly as a young boy, dressed in torn denim shorts and a faded navy t-shirt, made his way down the trunk before landing lithely onto the grass below.

Dragging his feet, Tony slowly made his way up the yard and onto the patio before slumping against the door frame, arms crossed and a look of disgruntled resignation on his face.

"Why-" he began.

"Don't even bother to ask why you have to go," interrupted Jenny before Tony could speak his complaint. "You know why we have to go. Ducky invited all of us and that, Mister," she said, taking his arm and pulling him inside, "includes you. Now hurry up and take a shower otherwise we are going to be late."

"Big deal," grumbled Tony earning himself a sharp swat as he passed his mother.

"Don't be rude!" reprimanded Jenny, following behind as Tony suddenly quickened his pace up the stairs.

Stepping onto the landing, Tony almost bumped into his father as he was exiting the bathroom having just filled the bath for Ziva.

"What's up with you?" Gibbs asked, seeing the miserable look on Tony's face.

"Nothing," muttered Tony, stepping passed and heading into his room.

Seeing Jenny as, she too, stepped onto the landing, he raised his eyebrows and asked, "What's up with Tony?"

"Same as every other time we've talked about going out for dinner tonight," she responded dryly.

Suddenly noticing Jenny's attire, Gibbs gave a low wolf whistle.

"Looking good, Jen," he complimented softly, his eyes trailing the length of her body. The green dress fitted her perfectly, accentuating every curve and hollow of her body, while not being too revealing. The short sleeves, low cut bodice and knee length hemline, covered enough to be to acceptable for Mrs Mallard, while still giving Gibbs enough skin to admire.

"Thank you," replied Jenny, brushing her lips gently across his. "You scrub up pretty good yourself Jethro," she added taking in his black pants and navy blue polo shirt.

"Although," she suddenly said, pulling at the front of his shirt, "I think you'd better change this before bathing Ziva." She pulled him into the bedroom they shared and grabbed the t-shirt he had been wearing earlier, from the bed.

"Here," she said, tossing it to him. "Put this on for now."

Giving her a smile, he quickly changed the shirts and headed back into hall. Passing Tony again, he noticed the boy had a towel bundled up in his arms and was making his way into his and Jenny's en-suite.

Walking into the bathroom, he noticed Ziva wasn't in the bath.

"Ziva!" he called facing into the hall. "Hurry up and get in the bath!"

"I'm coming!" yelled back Ziva. Her tone told him she was in sympathy with Tony with regards to their evening out.

Stomping her way to the bathroom, she flung off her clothes as she walked, dumping them on the floor and leaving a trail even Hansel and Gretel couldn't miss. As she entered the bathroom, she shimmied out of her panties and huffed sulkily before holding onto the edge of the bath and climbing over. Once in, she plonked herself down with such force, the water immediately sent up a tidal wave which splashed against the porcelain sides covering Gibbs and his t-shirt in large patches of warm water.

"Ziva!" he exclaimed, sending out a silent thanks to Jenny for having the foresight to get him to change. "What's your problem Madam?"

"Nothing," she grumbled, sounding exactly like Tony had done only minutes before. She sat facing him, arms crossed and a look of complete and utter misery on her face.

Gibbs couldn't help it. He laughed.

"It's not funny Daddy!" she reprimanded him loudly. "Tonight is take-out night. I wanted to have pizza. And now we have to get all dressed up and eat fancy food that we probably don't like!"

"Oh you poor, deprived child," he teased, grabbing the bowl off the bench, scooping it through the bath and tipping water over her head. Unfortunately, just as the water began to cascade down, Ziva lifted her head in an annoyed response to his remark and finished up with a face full of warm water. As she sputtered and removed the water from her face, she looked up at him with a fierceness he hadn't seen since before she had regressed.

"Why did you do that, Daddy?" she asked crossly, wiping at her nose which seemed to have consumed some water as well.

"I didn't do it on purpose," Gibbs defended. "You moved just as I tipped it over you."

Although she knew he was right, it didn't do anything to improve her mood and she slammed her hands down into the water, splashing Gibbs once again.

Flinching back from the oncoming spray, Gibbs said crossly, "Ziva! Don't do that again."

Suddenly hit with the thought she may be able to delay proceedings, she replied artfully, "Will I get a time out, if I do?"

"No," replied Gibbs evenly, "I'll stand you up and smack your bottom."

He shook his head at her cunning. She may only be five, but she had the thought processes of one much older. No wonder Eli saw potential in her, despite the fact that he used her intelligence against her.

Realising, in her current position, she was best not to provoke her father further; Ziva sagged her shoulders and resigned herself to the fact that she was going have to go tonight regardless.

After washing her hair, Gibbs left Ziva to finish washing the rest of herself and headed back into the hall and into his and Jenny's bedroom.

Hearing the water still running, he poked his head through the en-suite door and called, "Tony, water off please. That's long enough."

"I'm not finished yet," called back Tony.

"Yes, you are!" replied Gibbs.

When, after a further 20 seconds, the taps had still not been turned off, Gibbs sighed and pushed open the door entering the room. Pulling back the shower curtain, he quickly turned off the taps and faced a dripping, angry Tony.

"Dad!" yelled Tony.

"I have spoken too many times about the length of your showers. You've been under the water for nearly ten minutes and from what I can see, you look pretty clean. Now hurry up and get dried and dressed," he added, passing Tony his towel which had been thrown on the floor, before exiting the room.

Stepping through the bedroom, Gibbs passed Jenny as she entered the room.

"Can you make sure he's out in two minutes?" he asked, flicking his head towards the en-suite before marching back into the hall without waiting for Jenny's reply.

Back in the bathroom, Gibbs reached into the water and pulled the plug, before grabbing Ziva's towel and holding it out while she begrudgingly stood up. Wrapping her up, he lifted her out and began to quickly dry her off.

"Ow, Daddy! Not so rough!" she protested as he attacked her wet hair with vigor.

Ignoring her pleas, he made short work of finishing off the rest of her body before looking around for her clean underwear.

"Where did you put your clothes?" he asked, turning back to her.

"I didn't. They're still in the bedroom," she replied.

Sighing, Gibbs wrapped the towel around her and sent her out the bathroom with the words, "You've got five minutes to be dressed before I start drying your hair."

As Ziva stomped back to her room, Gibbs quickly grabbed the dirty clothes trail she had so casually dropped, and stuffed them into the laundry basket, before making his way back to his bedroom.

Noticing there was still a light on in the en-suite, Gibbs gritted his teeth before marching into the room while yelling, "You are really pushing for a spanking right now!"

As he slammed opened the door, he was greeted, not by his son but by Jenny who was applying the last of her make-up.

"Really Jethro," she replied arching her eyebrows. "As tempting as that sounds, we really don't have time right now."

"Shut up Jen," he said, smirking. "I thought you were Tony."

"Clearly," she replied.

"Why are they pushing at every turn tonight?" he asked, frustration evident in his voice.

"Because they don't want to go," replied Jenny, blotting her lips before packing away the last of her cosmetics.

She brushed past him and into the bedroom, where she sat on the bed before putting on her watch and bracelet which had been sitting on the nightstand.

As Gibbs watched her, she continued, "They've got it into their heads that tonight is going to be tedious and uncomfortable. They're going to be forced fed fancy, weird tasting food and made to sit with their hands folded in their laps for the duration of the evening."

"How on earth did they come to that conclusion?" asked Gibbs, sitting on the bed next to her.

"Er… I think someone may have got into their ears the other day when we were discussing it," replied Jenny casually. The truth was, Abby had thoroughly enjoyed riling up Tony and Ziva with tales of Mrs Mallard and the large mansion with no computers or TV. However, not really wanting to hand Abby over to the grumpy bear that could be Gibbs, Jenny chose to omit names.

"Who would…?" began Gibbs, frowning, before realisation dawned and he growled, "Abby!"

"She was just teasing," defended Jenny, setting the time on her watch and winding it on.

"Yeah, well wait until I see her, I'll give her teasing," replied Gibbs grimly.

"Mommy!" screeched a voice from the hall. "I'm not wearing this, it's too scratchy!"

Closing her eyes to the wailing, Jenny stood. "You may have to stand in line," she quipped, as she patted his shoulder.

Making her way out the door, Jenny called in reply, "It's not scratchy Ziva. I washed it in fabric softener," before ducking her head back in the room and adding, "You might want to check that Tony's wearing what I set out for him?"

Sighing, Gibbs quickly changed back into the blue polo shirt, before entering Tony's room to make sure the young boy was dressed as his mother wished.

Standing by the bed, Tony, still only in his underwear, was eyeing off the three choices Jenny had laid out for him. As he heard the door open, he looked up and saw his father.

"Why can I just wear shorts and a t-shirt?" he grumbled staring into his Dad's eyes.

"Do I look like I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt?" replied Gibbs, thankful he had chosen to change into the navy shirt.

He made his way into the room and sat on the bed looking at the clothes in front of Tony.

"These are OK," he said, pointing to the blue jeans and red shirt.

"Yeah, I suppose," sighed Tony, sitting down before flopping back on the bed next to his Dad.

"Come on Tony," encouraged Gibbs, resisting the urge to tickle the tummy that was now exposed in front of him. "You like Ducky, and Abby and Tim are going to be there."

He felt, rather than saw, Tony shrug.

"Don't listen to what Abby's been telling you," said Gibbs, immediately drawing Tony's attention. "She was only riling you up."

"Yeah, but what about Mrs Mallard?" asked Tony quietly, sitting up and facing his Dad. "Abby said she's really old and can't remember anything and sometimes does strange things."

"Are you worried about that?" asked Gibbs carefully, seeing for the first time, not defiance but rather fear.

"A little," said Tony. "Ziva is too," he added, very willing to share the feeling with someone.

Gibbs stood up and went to the door.

"Ziva," he called. He heard a scrambling from her room and laughed when Ziva's half dressed form appeared around the doorway.

"Come in here a minute," Gibbs commanded, waving her forward. Shrugging off the dress and leaving it on the floor, she almost ran towards him. Her eagerness to be away from the relentless debate about clothing she was currently having with her mother, was obvious.

As Jenny entered the hall, he noticed that her expression was not so joyous. Walking up to Gibbs she said sarcastically, "Thanks! I had just about got her into that dress."

"Don't worry," he murmured into her ear. "I don't think our problem has anything to do with dresses.

Frowning at him slightly, Jenny walked into the room and took a seat at Tony's desk.

"So," began Gibbs crouching down in front of Tony and Ziva who were sitting on the bed. "Tony tells me that Abby had been telling you about Mrs Mallard?"

They both nodded, wide eyed and apprehensive.

"What did she say?" asked Gibbs. He was surprised that Abby would use another person with which to tease the children. She was generally pretty sensitive when it came to others and he knew she had a soft spot for Mrs Mallard.

"She was telling us not to be scared of Mrs Mallard," began Ziva. "She said that she was a really nice lady but she was old and sometimes did strange things."

Gibbs nodded his head, relieved. Abby hadn't been trying to frighten the children, she had been trying to prepare them.

"Well," began Gibbs slowly. "Mrs Mallard is very old. And, like many old people, she has an illness called Dementia. Have you ever heard of that word before?"

Both children shook their heads.

Realising he could be here for a while, Gibbs grabbed the second chair in Tony's room and dragged it over to the bed. Taking a seat he looked at the two children.

"Dementia is a disease of the brain," he began, speaking slowly and trying to put it into terms the children would understand. "The brain stops working properly and messages don't get sent to the body like they should do. That means, people with Dementia can have memory problems. They can forget how to do things, and even forget what someone has just told them. And, yes, sometimes they do odd things because their brain no longer tells them what's acceptable and what's not. They can often say things that may sound strange or funny. But, the sad thing is, people with dementia don't realise what they are doing and they can't help it."

"Why does it happen?" asked Ziva.

"Well, it's a bit hard to explain," said Gibbs, "But I guess the easiest way would be to say that the blood that travels around our brain and keeps up alive isn't able get to some of the cells in the brain and those cells die. If too many of them die, it's starts to effect the way the brain works."

"Do all old people get De..demen…dementia?" asked Tony, trying to get his tongue around the word.

"No, not all people. And it's not only really old people who get it either. It can happen to younger people as well. It's just one of those things we don't fully understand yet," explained Gibbs.

"Does that mean you could get dementia?" asked Ziva, looking up at him with questioning brown eyes.

"I don't think so Sweet Pea," began Gibbs. "I mean, we don't really know, but I don't know of many in my family who had it. I know my grandparents didn't, and my father doesn't, so there's a good chance I won't get it either."

"That's good," said Ziva stepping off the bed and crawling into his lap. "Because it sounds scary."

"It's not scary honey," said Gibbs running his fingers through her still wet hair. "It's just really sad. Especially for the families when their loved one doesn't remember who they are anymore."

"Poor Ducky," said Tony shaking his head.

"Yes," replied Gibbs looking at him. "But, at the moment, Mrs Mallard still knows who he is most of the time, she just forgets about the other people around her."

He noticed both children were still looking apprehensive.

"Look," he began. "There's no reason for you to be frightened. She's not going to hurt you or anything. She just may forget who you are or she may keep asking you the same questions. Just be polite and answer her. Anyway, Ducky knows what's she's like and I'm sure he'll keep her distracted somehow. OK?"

As both children nodded solemnly, Gibbs smiled.

"So, has that been the main reason why you haven't wanted to go tonight?" asked Gibbs trying to make eye contact with both of them.

"I guess so," answered Tony. "That, and missing out on Take-out night."

"What if we don't like the food Daddy?" asked Ziva. "Do we have to eat it?"

At this point Jenny stood and sat on the bed next to Tony.

"I'm sure you'll love the food," she answered. "But, if there's something you don't like, just put it to one side of your plate and leave it there. You don't need to make any comment about it."

"But what if all the food is sitting there?" asked Ziva again.

"I'm sure it won't be," replied Jenny. "Besides, you like different foods," she added, looking at Ziva, "You're the one who encourages Tony to eat stuff."

Ziva shrugged.

"Maybe," she reluctantly agreed.

"Just give it a chance," suggested Gibbs. "Besides, Ducky may surprise you."

Standing up, Gibbs lifted Ziva off his lap and set her on the floor.

"Now, how about you go and get yourself all gussied up like your mother, and Tony and I'll do our best to meet with your approval," suggested Gibbs, directing Ziva to the door. "We need to go in less than ten minutes," he added looking at his watch.

As Jenny stood and, taking Ziva's hand, led her out of the bedroom, Tony looked back at his choices.

"I think I'll go with the jeans and the red shirt," he said, picking up the shirt and placing his over his head.

"Good choice," agreed Gibbs. "I'll meet you downstairs when you're done. Don't forget to brush your teeth!"

Exactly twelve minutes later, the family were heading out the front door. Having decided to let Tony and Ziva take their DS games with them just in case they should get bored, Gibbs informed them that they were to stay in Jenny's purse unless things got desperate. Agreeing reluctantly, both children had handed them over before being herded out the door and into the car.

Arriving at Ducky's twenty five minutes later, they were welcomed by the kindly gentleman as he opened the large, impressive front door.

"Well good evening," he greeted, stepping aside so the family could enter. "It's so lovely to have you here. Abby and Tim have already arrived as has Mr Palmer, so we are just waiting on the soup to heat through before we can begin dinner. Your timing is perfect."

As Gibbs passed his friend, he held out his hand and shook Ducky's warmly.

"Thanks Duck," he said.

Allowing Jenny and the children to enter the living room, Gibbs held back slightly then turned to the M.E.

"The kids were a little worried about meeting your mother," he began quietly. "But I've explained as best I can about Dementia, so hopefully they will be OK. Just giving you a pre-warning," he said smiling.

"Not to worry, good man," replied Ducky, his hand on Gibbs' shoulder. "I can understand their apprehension. She's actually quite good tonight so, fingers crossed, we may get through the evening with minimum disasters."

As both men smiled at each other, they entered the living room where Jenny, Abby, Tim and Jimmy were exchanging pleasantries.

"Ah Donald," came a voice from the hallway. "You must introduce me to our guests."

As everyone's head turned to the doorway, an elderly woman, wearing a deep crimson evening gown, gracefully entered the room, her arms swaying in polite greeting.

"Good evening, Mother," greeted Ducky, taking his Mother's arm in his. "I'd like you to meet some very special friends of mine."

As the introductions were performed, Gibbs couldn't help but compare it to being introduced to the Queen. Mrs Mallard stood erect as each person stepped forward and took her hand politely, complimenting her on either her dress, house or both, before stepping back to allow the next person to perform the ritual. When it finally came to Tony and Ziva's turn, both Gibbs and Jenny held their breath. But they need not have worried. Mrs Mallard acknowledged the children fondly, admiring Ziva's curls and complementing Tony on what a handsome young man he was.

Letting out a collective sigh, Gibbs and Jenny turned to each other and smirked.

"Donald, please ask Arthur to pour us some drinks?" she asked before taking a seat on the chaise lounge.

"Mother, Arthur doesn't work for us anymore," reminded Ducky. "But, don't worry, I shall pour the drinks."

As Ducky disappeared out of the room, everyone set about finding a spot to sit. The room was well equipped with arm chairs and couches, so it didn't take long before everyone was seated and polite conversation had begun.

When Ducky re-emerged from the hall carrying a tray of drinks, he was accompanied by Brigette who had obviously been in the kitchen seeing to the meal.

"Hey Brigette," greeted Abby, standing up and taking the petite woman's hand. "I wondered if you were here."

"Yes," replied Brigette, smiling at the group. "I was just in the kitchen getting everything ready."

"Brigette?" called Mrs Mallard questioningly. "Who's Brigette? This is Cecelia our housemaid."

"No, Mother," replied Ducky patiently. "Cecelia hasn't worked for us for well over twenty years. This is Brigette, remember?"

"No I don't, Donald," replied Mrs Mallard brusquely. "When did we hire Brigette?"

"We didn't hire Brigette, Mother," explained an exasperated Ducky. "Brigette is my… friend."

"Your friend, Donald?" repeated Mrs Mallard rather loudly. "Since when do you have lady friends? Are you sleeping together?"

"Mother!" exclaimed Ducky, blushing furiously.

"Well," interrupted Brigette, before Ducky shrunk even further from embarrassment. "How about we all come through to the dining room? Please bring your drinks."

As the party stepped through into the next room, they were faced with a beautiful, large mahogany table on which sat a ten place setting, leaving two places empty.

"What a gorgeous dining table," exclaimed Jenny, as she stepped forward to admire the blue and white china dishes.

"Why thank you Jennifer," replied Ducky. "Yes, this table, and the china, have been in my family for over three generations."

Ducky moved to the head of the table and began directing.

"Now, Abigail if you'd like to sit over there, and Timothy you're next to Abigail, followed by Mr Palmer." Ducky pointed to his left. "And Mother, you, of course are in your usual seat," he added patting the chair next to Abby and the one closest to himself on the left.

"Jethro, you and the Director are on this side with Ziva next to Jennifer and Anthony next to you." Ducky now pointed to his right. "And Brigette darling you, of course, are next to me," he finished, indicating the seat just to his right, next to Tony.

As everyone took their allocated seats, Gibbs reached for the red wine bottle and, after checking who wished to have some, proceeded to pour the wine into the fine stemmed glasses. Jenny did the same with the white wine, while Brigette indicated that the jug of apple juice would be suitable for the children.

Once the drinks were poured, Brigette and Ducky left the room, returning shortly with a tureen of home-made vegetable soup and a wicker basket filled with bread rolls.

Having ladled out the soup, Ducky placed the tureen on the serving table next to him, then stood at his place and lifted his glass.

"A toast," he announced and the dinner guests rose to join him.

"Some hae meat, and canna eat,  
>And some wad eat that want it;<br>But we hae meat, and we can eat -  
>And sae the Lord be thankit."<p>

As everyone took a drink and resumed their seats, Ziva looked up at Jenny and said, "Huh?"

"Oh my dear," began Ducky, unfolding his napkin and lifting his spoon. "That is a Scottish blessing. It tells us that some people have everything they need but are unable to enjoy it, while others have nothing and yearn for just a taste. But we are blessed because we have what we need and we can enjoy it, and so we give thanks to God."

Nodding her head in understanding, Ziva turned to her bowl and picked up her spoon. Looking up the table at Tony, she saw he was eating heartily and therefore decided it must be OK. Taking a small spoonful, she lifted it to her lips and took a tentative swallow. It was, in fact, delicious and in no time at all, she had emptied her bowl without even giving a thought to the bread.

Gibbs had been right. Ducky had certainly kept the children in mind when planning the evening's menu. After the soup, they enjoyed a hearty beef roast with baked vegetables and, for desert, the adults indulged in a sherry trifle while Tony and Ziva enjoyed ice-cream sundaes.

"That was delicious," remarked Tim, as he gently placed the spoon back into his desert glass. "My compliments to the chefs."

"You're most welcome Tim," replied Brigette. "Would you like some more trifle?"

"No, thank you, " said Tim rubbing his stomach. "I don't think I could eat another bite."

"So, young man," began Mrs Mallard looking directly at Tony. "What is it you like to do in your spare time?"

"Um," began Tony, a little nervous at being singled out. "Well, we have a tree house I like to play in, and I like to beat my score on the DS."

"And what, pray tell, is a D S?" inquired Mrs Mallard.  
>"It's a game," explained Tony. "You put in cartridges and pictures come up on a screen and you press these buttons and play."<p>

Seeing the bewildered look on elderly lady's face, Tony added, "I can show you after dinner if you'd like?"

About to step in and explain that it wouldn't be necessary, Gibbs was surprised when Mrs Mallard clapped her hands together and said jovially, "Well, that sounds just splendid. Yes, you must show me this D S thing. Where is it, young man?"

"Um…my Mom has it in her purse. Hang on and I'll just get it."

As Tony was about to stand, Gibbs put his hand on his shoulder and said, "Just wait a minute Tony until everyone is ready to leave the table."

Seeing the disappointed look on Tony's face, Ducky stood and announced, "Well if everyone is quite finished, how about we retire to the sitting room for some coffee?"

As Tony pushed back his chair, he caught Ducky's eye and grinned when the gentleman winked at him.

Twenty minutes later as almost everyone was enjoying a cup of coffee and listening politely while Ducky regaled them with tales from his youth; Tony, Ziva and Mrs Mallard were huddled in one corner of the room focused intently on Tony's DS.

Mrs Mallard, sitting in one of the arm chairs, held the DS in her frail hands while Tony and Ziva knelt on either side. Having explained what each button did, Tony was impressed with the quick way Mrs Mallard caught onto the concept of the game.

"That's it my fine, little green man, you just take that, and that!" she said, as she continually pressed the buttons effectively killing off the enemy again and again.

"Wow, Mrs Mallard!" exclaimed Tony. "You're really good at this. Much better than my Dad."

Gibbs rolled his eyes and Jenny smirked at him.

"Donald," announced Mrs Mallard in a loud, commanding voice. "You must get me one of these. I haven't had this much fun since I travelled through Africa."

"Yes Mother," acknowledged Ducky automatically, grinning at the group before continuing with his curreny tale.

He was was about to delve into how he and a friend had managed to sneak up to the bell tower while in his final year at Edinburgh University, when Jenny's cell began to ring.

Knowing it was her work phone, Jenny excused herself to answer the call. When she returned ten minutes later, her face was pale and a worried expression was etched on her brow.

"What's up?" asked Gibbs, immediately noticing the change in her demeanor.

Glancing quickly over towards Tony and Ziva, she was relieved to see they were still completely engrossed in showing Mrs Mallard the tips and tricks of the game.

Turning back to the group, she said, "That was Fornell."

"What did he want?" asked Gibbs, suddenly alarmed as to why Fornell would be ringing the Director of NCIS on a Saturday evening.

Everyone sat forward, giving their full attention to Jenny.

"He's currently at Bethesda Hospital," she began, choosing to remain standing. "Apparently, a five year old boy wandered in there about twelve hours ago, bruised, bleeding and extremely malnourished."

"But what's that got to do with NCIS, my dear," asked Ducky, voicing what everyone was thinking.

"They took DNA and fingerprints when he first arrived as he was babbling on about who he was and they couldn't seem to get a straight answer. Well," she said looking directly at Gibbs. "They now have those results."

"Go on," urged Gibbs, not liking where this was going. "Who is he?"

Taking a deep breath, Jenny continued, "It would appear, according to the DNA results, our five year old boy is actually Sergeant Major Douglas Redding, a 54 year old who was reported missing two months ago."

Everyone stared at Jenny.

"But… how can that be?" asked Jimmy, perplexed.

Ducky slowly closed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. Opening them once again, he turned to Jimmy and said calmly, "Well Mr Palmer, it would seem that our old friend Trentwood was not working alone as we first thought."

As realisation dawned, all heads turned to Tony and Ziva who were happily playing in the corner with Mrs Mallard.

Were they're lives about to be turned upside down once again?


	2. Douglas

**AN - Thank you for all the follows, favourites and, especially for all the wonderful reviews! I was so touched to read how much you enjoyed the first chapter.**

**This second chapter is very 'case' centic but necessary to the plot. **

**I hope you enjoy. **

Chapter 2 - Douglas

"But, I don't get it," said Abby. "Tony killed Trentwood over three months ago."

"Shhh," warned Gibbs, glancing quickly towards the children. "Let's not mention names for the time being OK?"

"Sorry Gibbs," said Abby. "But like I said, Trentwood was killed over three months ago. This man has only been missing for what?" She looked at Jenny for clarification. "Two months?"

"Well, that's what Fornell said," replied Jenny. "He apparently went missing two months ago."

"Exactly," stated Abby. "So it can't be Trentwood."

"I agree Abigail," began Ducky, "Which is why I said it would seem he had a partner."

"But," began Abby.

"Jethro," interrupted Jenny, before Abby managed to work herself into a state. "Do you remember there being anyone else there that day?"

Gibbs looked towards Tim.

"No one around the front," he said. "Tim and I approached from the front of the property and the other two went around the back. We had already entered the house when we heard the shots being fired. I must admit, from that moment on I was more concerned about getting to To- the other two," he amended quickly. "You didn't see anyone did you Tim?"

"No Boss," replied Tim. "Just those two and Trentwood."

"And the other two never said anything about there being a second person?" asked Jenny quietly.

"No," answered Gibbs. "Not even when we got back to the hospital and made out the reports."

"Well, either he wasn't there on the day," concluded Jenny, "Or, somehow, he slipped out without being seen."

She looked at Gibbs. "Whatever the case, you and I need to get to Bethesda and interview Redding. We don't know how much time we may have."

"Yeah," said Gibbs, standing up. He turned to Abby. "Abbs, can you take Tony and Ziva home please and get them settled. I don't know how long we'll be but there's a spare mattress under Ziva's bed or you can sleep on the couch."

"Sure Gibbs," replied Abby, standing to join him. "I'll stay for as long as you need me."

"Me too, Boss," replied Tim. "I'll duck home first and grab my laptop then join Abby at your place. I'll log into my old work profile and see what I can find out about Redding."

"Thanks guys," said Gibbs sincerely.

He walked over to where Tony and Ziva were sitting with Mrs Mallard. Crouching down, the others watched as he spoke to them quietly, explaining what was going to happen. Completely unaware of the drama surrounding them, both children said goodbye to Mrs Mallard and joined the circle of concerned onlookers.

"What's going on?" asked Tony, noticing the serious faces.

"Nothing Kiddo," replied Abby cheerfully, "Other than you two having a movie date with me!"

She smiled warmly at them, before putting her arm around Tony's shoulder.

"How about we stop by the DVD rentals on the way and you and Ziva can pick something out to watch?" she suggested.

"Cool," said Tony grinning widely. "Gee, this night's turned out heaps better than I thought. Mrs Mallard is so much fun to play with and now we get a movie!"

"Alright then," began Gibbs briskly, looking down at the two children. "Now, be good for Abby, and Mom and I will be home as soon as possible. If we're not home by the time the movie finishes, you need to go to bed. No fussing OK?"

"OK Dad."

"Yes Daddy."

After giving each child a hug and watching Jenny do the same, Gibbs led Jenny out the front door and the two of them made their way to the hospital.

Arriving in record time, they met Fornell in the foyer.

"Gibbs, Director," he greeted. Then, seeing their attire, added "Sorry to muck up your evening but… well…I don't know Gibbs, this just isn't making sense."

The three of them set off through the foyer and towards the children's ward.

"Yeah," replied Gibbs. "Tell me about it."

"You don't know the half of it," said Fornell as they continued through the hospital. "Now the staff are saying when he arrived he looked 'older', around nine years old apparently. At first they put it down to the state he was in and therefore, once he was cleaned up, they amended his age to six or seven. Now they're saying he's even younger, about four or five!"

Fornell stopped and looked at Gibbs and Jenny. "Either the staff have been sucking on the alcohol swabs or something very strange is going on!"

Gibbs looked at Jenny and, acknowledging her infinitesimal nod, reached out and took Fornell's arm, leading him into an empty room.

"Gibbs! What the hell?" exclaimed Fornell, unprepared for the quick change in direction.

Closing the door, Gibbs directed Fornell to the only chair available and pushed him to sit. As he fought to stand again, Gibbs laid a hand on his shoulder saying, "Trust me Tobias, you're gonna want to sit for this."

With fear now evident on his face, Fornell slowly edged back onto the chair and stared at Gibbs and Jenny.

"I er…take it the staff haven't been sucking on the alcohol swabs," was all he could say before Gibbs launched into the whole story, beginning with the call out to take down Trentwood.

"Y-you're kidding me right?" stammered Fornell, when Gibbs had finally finished.

"No," replied Gibbs simply.

"So… DiNozzo and David? They aren't undercover?" he clarified, struggling to comprehend what he'd just heard.

"No Tobias, right now they're probably cuddled on the couch with Abby watching a Disney movie," said Gibbs. He knew it was going to take a while for Fornell to get his head around this. Geez, it had taken him long enough and he was their carer.

"Do ya have pictures?" asked Fornell, looking first at Gibbs and then at Jenny.

"No," answered Gibbs. "We don't keep them on us, security reasons," he added.

Fornell nodded slowly. He knew that rule only too well. Their jobs were risky enough without giving any potential psychopath a photo of their loved ones to use against them.

"So, you're saying that Redding could continue to, what did you call it, de-age?" asked Fornell.

"Yes," replied Jenny. "Which is why we need to talk to him A.S.A.P."

She turned to open the door. "Come on," she urged both men. "We've lost enough time as it is."

As they entered room 141, the first thing that struck Gibbs was the lack of other people. After hearing what Fornell had said about the changes in Redding, he felt sure there would have been a twenty four hour vigil on the boy. He was pleased to see this wasn't the case. Having an empty room would make interviewing him much easier.

Although the room had four beds, Douglas Redding was the only occupant. Sitting on top of the bed, he was currently reading a newspaper. While this may have surprised Fornell, Gibbs and Jenny had seen this before.

As the three of them made their way to the bed, Redding looked up and stared at them.

"Yes?" he asked matter of factly. "Can I help you?"

Remembering that this was, in fact, a 54 year old man and not a four year old boy, Gibbs took a deep breath and chose to approach the situation as one adult speaking to another.

"Mr Redding, I know you have met Agent Fornell before, but we," he indicated himself and Jenny, "are from NCIS. My name is Agent Gibbs and this is Director Jenny Shepard."

Although not entirely true, Gibbs thought it easier to resume his old role for the sake of professionalism.

Redding suddenly sat up and looked alert.

"NCIS you say?" Although his voice was high pitched an immature, Gibbs could see that he was still, very much, in his adult mind.

"So, if NCIS are here, I'm assuming you believe who I am?" he added.

"Yes," said Jenny, taking a seat on the opposite bed. "Unfortunately, we have seen this before."

Taking a seat next to Jenny, Gibbs asked, "Would you mind answering a few questions for us?"

"No, not at all," replied Redding. "I'm just relieved someone finally believes me."

"Yeah, I bet you are," said Jenny, smiling at him. "Can I get you anything before we start? Water? Something to eat?"

"I'd kill for a coffee," he said, grinning for the first time. "But I guess that probably wouldn't be good for a small system like mine."

He then turned and picked up a glass from the cupboard by the bed. "I'm fine," he said, holding up the glass. "I've got plenty of water here."

"Ok then," said Gibbs, taking out the spiral bound note book he had grabbed from the car. Thankfully he had tucked the front cover over, guessing that Mr Redding probably wouldn't see the funny side of a federal agent having a Dora the Explorer note book for interviews.

"Can you tell us, from the beginning, what happened?" asked Gibbs, pencil poised and ready.

"Well, to be honest, I don't really remember much about how it all started. In fact, I don't really remember anything at all. My first memories were of me suddenly waking up in a room with no windows and only one door which was kept securely locked at all times. It was one of those dead locks that you need a key to open, even from the inside. I was tied up and I felt younger. There was no mirror for me to look into but my legs were thinner and my skin looked different."

"What can you tell us about the room?" encouraged Gibbs. "Was it a bedroom, a basement?"

"No, it wasn't a bedroom. It may have been a basement but it was like a laboratory. The walls were painted white, everything was stainless steel or chrome and there were scientific instruments on all the shelves and cupboards. He had made me makeshift bed in one corner."

"You're saying 'he'. Is this the man that kidnapped you?" asked Gibbs. "Can you tell me anything about him? What did he look like, age, name?"

"Was I kidnapped?" questioned Redding. "I don't remember anything about that."

"Don't worry about that, just tell us what you remember about him," said Gibbs.

"He was probably in his late fifties, receding hairline, almost bald on top but the sideburns and the hair around his ears was grey. Grey moustache and he had large eyebrows, thick and ugly. I hated the way he would stare at me."

Redding turned away for a minute and, for the first time, Gibbs saw a glimpse of the four year old boy. He hated to think what this child/man had been through.

"It's ok," said Jenny softly. 'You're doing a great job."

Gaining back his composure, Redding took a deep breath then continued.

"He was reasonably tall although, in my state, it was sometimes hard to get a clear perspective, maybe six one, six two? Medium build, and he walked with a slight limp on his left. He must have been a scientist or maybe a doctor, because he knew what he was doing with all the instruments and…and he was able to…"

The voice trailed off and Redding looked down. Gibbs saw the tears forming in his eyes. Not knowing whether to console him or not, Gibbs just reached out a hand and laid it gently on the boy's knee. "It's ok, no-one's gonna hurt you now."

This seemed to do the trick as, once again, Redding took a deep breath and continued. "He was able to see to my wounds and injuries, after he had inflicted them."

Gibbs glanced quickly at Jenny. Thank God they had been able to get to Tony and Ziva before anything like this had happened.

"Mr Redding, Douglas. May I call you Douglas?" asked Jenny softly. When the boy nodded she continued. "Douglas, we believe this man wasn't working alone. Four months ago, we began a search for someone who was using this serum as a means of murdering people. He was eventually found and was killed. His last two victims were also shot with the serum but, thankfully, they didn't die. They regressed twenty years and have been living relatively normal lives since then. When I say relatively, I mean they have remained children, but, so far, they appear to be developing in an age appropriate way and are normal for their regressed ages."

"That must be Woody," said Douglas. "He kept mumbling about a 'Woody' and how he went and got himself killed and ruined everything. He said something about this 'Woody', making a serum that would change his life forever, but he never elaborated. Just said it was a miracle cure and was going to make them famous."

"Cure for what?" asked Gibbs.

"He never said," replied Douglas, shrugging his shoulders.

Scribbling down a couple of notes, Gibbs looked up at Douglas and asked, "So, how did you get away?"

Douglas looked down and began fiddling with the cotton on the hospital blanket. Again, Gibbs could see that he was incredibly frightened. Watching him, it brought back so many memories of those earlier days with Tony and Ziva. The way they would switch between their adult mind and their child mind.

"Douglas, he can't hurt you anymore," Gibbs said, calmly but firmly. "You're safe here. We will protect you."

"I know," the boy whispered. "It's just so hard to believe that. As an adult, I could have taken him on, defended myself. But," he looked down at his body. "Like this, I'm useless."

"You're not useless Champ," said Gibbs gently.

He suddenly realised that 'champ' probably wasn't an appropriate term to use, but the boy didn't seem to mind. It was almost like he had slipped into his child mind. Again, Gibbs was reminded of how difficult memories would often trigger shift in mindset for Tony and Ziva.

"You escaped Douglas," encouraged Gibbs. "You got away from him. That, in itself, is an amazing feat."

When the boy slowly nodded, Gibbs continued, "Now can you tell me how you managed it?"

Once again Douglas drew in a deep breath and spoke.

"Most afternoons, he would head out, locking the door behind him. When he returned, he was usually drunk and angry. That's when he…he would….hurt me. At first, when I was older, maybe around fourteen or fifteen, he would just keep me tied up and use me as a punching bag or throw me around a bit if he was feeling more energetic. But, well, he must have liked boys a bit younger because when he injected me enough to stay as a nine year old, he…he…stopped hitting me as much and began doing… other things to me."

Douglas looked up at Gibbs. "You understand what I mean, Agent Gibbs?"

"Yeah," said Gibbs softly, reaching out a hand and laying it comfortingly on the boy's shoulder. "I'm sorry Douglas," he all but whispered.

"Well," continued Douglas, trying to keep his mind straight. "Late last night or it could've even been early hours of this morning when he came home, he had a look in his eyes I hadn't seen before. There was such hatred and contempt in the way he looked at me and yet there was also this manic joy that was present. He came storming in and, for the first time since I'd arrived, he didn't shut the door. I guess, in the state he was in, he must have forgotten.

"He grabbed me and lifted me up, saying, _'I did it! I did it!'_ Then he threw me across the room. I watched as he rummaged through the room as if he were looking for something.

"When he finally found what he was looking for, a bottle of whiskey, he kept pacing up and down and drinking from the bottle, all the while shouting at me or talking to himself. At one point I heard him say, _'You son of a bitch Woody, I knew I'd beat you one day!'_ And then another time he said, _'You thought you were the only one who knew the secret, but I figured it out. I got the better of you, you bastard!' _

"Finally, when the bottle was empty and he was staggering around, he noticed me huddled in the corner.

_'Well little buddy,' _he said looking straight at me._ 'I ain't gonna need you no more!'_ He grabbed a syringe off the table. I knew what that meant. He was going to kill me. When he came towards me, he was so drunk, he could hardly stand upright. He grabbed my arm and as he shoved the needle in, I grabbed his hand and pushed with all my might, sending the needle flying. He stumbled backwards and, as he fell, I kicked his head as hard as I could and jumped on his face and then…and then….and then I ran."

By this point Douglas was almost hyperventilating.

"It's ok Champ, it's ok," said Gibbs rubbing the boy's back and trying to calm him down. "You did a great job. It's all over, you're safe now."

Knowing the boy needed comfort more than the man inside needed distance, Gibbs reached out to hug the child sitting forlornly on the bed. But, just as his hands touched the boy, Douglas suddenly doubled over and began breathing heavily.

"Oh no," he said between breaths. "It's happening again."

"What's happening Gibbs," asked Fornell from the corner of the room. He had remained silent throughout the interview, but could now see the witness was in great distress. "Should I get a doctor?"

"No!" said Gibbs curtly. "No doctors. It's OK. He's just regressing further. Tony and Ziva did the same thing. It doesn't last long, but he will be younger but the time it finishes."

"Just how much younger are we talking here?" asked Fornell, shocked by what he was witnessing. "I mean, he doesn't have that much age to be losing."

"Yeah, I know," replied Gibbs. "That's what's worrying me. Obviously this maniac managed to get some of the serum into Douglas. Let's just pray this is the last regression."

Watching carefully, Jenny, Gibbs and Fornell noticed that Douglas was beginning to settle down again. The pain was easing, and his body was relaxing slightly. Looking at him closely, Gibbs estimated that he had regressed about eighteen months. His hair had lightened and had taken on that wispiness often seen in toddlers. He face was chubbier as were his arms and hands. Small dimples had appeared where the knuckles had previously been.

"Oh no," he heard the toddler groan. "Look at me!"

Eyes fixed on Gibbs, he said "Has all this been a waste of time? Am I going to die anyway?"

"Not if I can help it," replied Gibbs.

Gibbs called Fornell closer and the three of them leaned over the small boy on the bed.

"Listen carefully Douglas," began Gibbs. "You currently look around two and half years old. That last transformation has changed you considerably and you don't look like the boy you were only five minutes ago. That's going to help us a lot."

Douglas looked up at him and frowned. "How?" he asked.

"I need you to pretend you are a two year old," began Gibbs.

"Who's pretending!" remarked Douglas, sarcastically.

"I mean, don't speak. You're language gives you away. Now, in a minute, I'm going to lift you up, and carry you straight out this hospital as if you were my son and we were just visiting someone. Jen, you come with me and Fornell, you wait a few minutes before following. That should avoid any suspicions being raised on the security cameras. We'll just look like a family and you," he looked at Fornell, "Well you'll just look like a tight-sphinctered F.B.I Agent."

"Hey!" protested Fornell.

Ignoring him, Gibbs reached out for Douglas. "You ready?" he asked.

When the boy nodded, Gibbs lifted him up.

Looking at Fornell, Gibbs said, "Give me your jacket Tobias."

"What? Why?" asked Fornell looking confused.

"So I can put it around Douglas. He'll look less obvious if he's not sporting the hospital gown. Sheesh Fornell!"

"Oh yeah," replied Fornell, taking off his jacket and handing it to Gibbs.

Wrapping the jacket around the boy's shoulders and tucking it under his bottom, Gibbs turned back to Fornell saying, "Meet back at my place," before he and Jenny casually made their way through the children's ward, along a hallway and out through the entrance.

When the coolness of the night hit them, Gibbs put his arms protectively around Douglas and the three of them made their way to car park.

Opening the back door, Gibbs knew that Ziva's car seat was much too big for Douglas, but it was going to have to do. Strapping the boy in as best he good, he closed the door and walked around to the driver's side. Hopping in, he looked at Jenny and they both let out a long sigh of relief.

Turning on the engine, Gibbs put the car into drive and maneuvered his way out of the car park. As the car rounded the drive near the entrance way, Gibbs slowed to a stop before looking back at Douglas and asking, "Is this the entrance you walked into?"

Douglas stretched up and looked out of the window on Gibbs' side of the car.

"Yes," he said.

"Can you remember from which direction you came?" asked Gibbs again. He figured it would be easier for the boy to get his bearings straight if they were actually here rather than trying to imagine it from a different location.

"Over there," replied Douglas, pointing out of his window. "I came around that corner where that tree is. I must have run about three block down that street before reaching the corner."

"Can you remember anything about the building you came out of?" asked Gibbs. "Was it a house, an office?"

"See that building there? The one with the glass doors and the big pot plant out the front?" said Douglas pointing.

"Yes," said both Jenny and Gibbs together.

"Well, the building I came out of was like that," explained Douglas. "I remember because I nearly ran into the pot plant out the front. I had run up three flights of stairs before I came out on that opening. So, the room must be way underground."

"That's great Champ," said Gibbs. "You did a fantastic job. Now, let's get you to safety."

Gibbs pulled out of the hospital and onto the road while Jenny rang Fornell and told him what Douglas had just said. Hopefully they weren't too late to search the area and still apprehend this monster.

When they were only five minutes from home, Gibbs noticed Douglas was pulling a pained expression.

"Is it happening again?" asked Gibbs, turning quickly to look in the back seat.

"No," said Douglas, wincing and bouncing in the seat.

"What's wrong then?" asked Gibbs.

"I…I'm sorry Agent Gibbs, but I gotta go and I gotta go now!" replied Douglas, rushing the words to get them out.

"What?" began Gibbs then realisation dawned. "Oh, I see. Um, can you hold it for five minutes? We're nearly home."

"NO!" howled Douglas. "It's coming!"

"Oh crap!" cursed Gibbs, pulling into the emergency stopping lane and slamming on the brakes.

"No, it's just wee," said a little voice from the back.

When the car came to a stop, Gibbs flung off his seat belt and jumped out of the car. Sprinting around to Douglas' side, he pulled open the door and was relieved to see the young boy had managed to undo his belt. Lifting him quickly out of the car, Gibbs stood him by the grassy verge using the car as a temporary means of privacy.

"Sorry Champ," he said, as he lifted the jacket and hospital gown in one swoop. "This is the best I can do."

"S'OK," replied Douglas as he finally relaxed and allowed his bladder to empty. "It's better than the cardboard box the man gave me."

As Douglas finished, Gibbs turned to Jenny and, knowing she always kept a packet in her purse, asked, "Can you pass me a couple of wet wipes?"

After cleaning Douglas up, making sure to wipe down his legs, he lowered the gown and popped him back into the car, re-buckling him in. Closing the car door, he was just about to head back to his side, when he noticed Jenny open her door and step out.

"What, do you need to go too?" he asked, when she shut the door behind her.

Rolling her eyes, she chose to ignore the comment.

"Jethro, Douglas is two," she said quietly. "We may need to get some supplies before taking him home?"

"Really Jen? We'd have it covered wouldn't we?" he began, before Jenny lifted her hand and placed it on his shoulder.

"Think back," she began. "When Kelly was two, what was the first thing you made sure you always had?"

As realisation hit him, Gibbs groaned, "Diapers."

Patting his shoulder and smiling knowingly, Jenny opened the car door and reached into her purse. Taking out her cell, she dialed Abby's number.

When line clicked, indicating Abby had answered, Jenny quickly said, "Don't acknowledge who this is," before Abby could speak.

"Ahh, yeah, right," she head Abby say. "Um, hang on a minute."

Guessing Abby was moving to a more private location, Jenny waited.

"Ok," she finally heard Abby say, "What's happening?"

"Are the children still up?" asked Jenny.

"Yeah, there's still about twenty minutes left of the movie. We kind of started a bit late 'cause we were making popcorn and stuff," explained Abby.

Not wishing to elaborate on what 'and stuff' comprised of, Jenny continued, "Once the movie finishes, I want them both in bed. OK Abby?"

"Yeah sure," replied Abby. "What's up?"

"We've got Douglas with us. He's continued to regress and is now about two years old. We are going to have to stop off and buy him some supplies as he's going to need diapers and clothes. We'll probably be home in about forty-five minutes and I'd rather the children didn't see him just yet."

"Oh wow!" exclaimed Abby joyfully. "A baby giblette! I'm so excited."

"Abby!" reprimanded Jenny. "Stop it!"

She stepped further away from the car and lowered her voice.

"We can't keep him. We'll have to find out who is family is and whether or not there may be someone able to look after him. In fact," she lowered her voice even further before continuing, "We don't even know if he's stopped regressing as yet. This may not have a happy ending. Now do you see why I don't want Tony and Ziva to witness this?"

"Yes, of course," replied Abby subduedly. "I'm sorry, I didn't think."

"We'll be home as soon as we can," said Jenny. "And Abby?"

"Yes?" said Abby, still upset with herself for getting over excited.

"Thank you," replied Jenny. She knew Abby would start berating herself for her exuberance and Jenny didn't want her to feel that way. "We really appreciate you being able to look after them. We couldn't do without you Abbs."

"Thanks Jenny," said Abby and Jenny could tell she was smiling once again.

Hanging up, Jenny made her way back to the car.

"OK, we've got about forty five minutes to kill," she said, opening the car door. "Let's find a late night store and get this little fellow set up."

Remembering that one of the malls was open until 10pm, Gibbs headed in that direction. Once the car was parked, he looked into the back seat and saw that Douglas had fallen asleep.

"It's going to look a little strange if we enter with a toddler wrapped in an adult's jacket and then start buying baby clothes," began Gibbs looking at Jenny. "How about you stay here with him and I'll duck in and grab what I can. Then we can get him dressed and, if we still need to kill time, we can have a coffee somewhere."

"Why do I have to stay here?" asked Jenny.

Gibbs gave her a pointed look before saying, "When was the last time you bought diapers Jen?"

"Yeah, true," she said begrudgingly.

"I mean, it's been a while for me too, but at least I've had some experience," replied Gibbs, before opening the car door and taking off into the darkness.

Twenty minutes later when Gibbs still hadn't returned, Jenny was beginning to get worried. Taking out her cell, she hit the speed dial and waited.

He answered on the second ring.

"Where are you?" she asked, the worry evident in her tone.

"Right here Jen," he replied opening the back seat door and sliding in.

Jumping an inch off the seat, Jenny turned around and growled, "I hate when you do that! You scared the hell outta me!"

Laughing, Gibbs reached over and stroked her head.

"Sorry, hun," he apologised. "Old habits die hard."

Shaking her head at him, she waited for her heartbeat to settle before asking, "What took you so long anyway?"

"Choices!" he exclaimed.

"What?" she asked, her face contorted into a confused frown.

"Choices," he repeated. "When Kelly was little, diapers just came in age ranges. Now? Sheesh Jen, I never knew there were so many varieties!"

Laughing, she looked at the supplies.

"So which ones did you get?" she asked.

"These," he said, holding up a packet that advertised 'Super absorbent boy's diapers for the active 2-3 year old. Maximum weight 35lbs'.

"From carting him around earlier, I'd say he's around 25 pounds so these should be OK," said Gibbs, as he pulled open the packet and took one out.

"What's in that bag?" asked Jenny, noticing another bag that didn't look like it had clothes in it.

Gibbs silently reached in and held up another packet of diapers. These, however, were for babies between six and twelve months.

"We've got to be prepared Jen," said Gibbs quietly. "We don't know what the future holds for this little guy."

"Yeah, I know," acknowledged Jenny quietly.

She watched as Gibbs carefully lifted the sleeping Douglas and laid him on the back seat before quickly applying the diaper.

"Wow!" she admired. "You haven't lost your touch."

"It's like riding a bike Jen, you never forget," he quipped, as he reached into one of the bags and pulled out a pair of toddler's pyjamas.

"Here," he said, passing them to her. "Can you take those out of the packet for me?"

He carefully removed Fornell's jacket and the hospital gown before deftly re-dressing Douglas in a pair of cotton pyjamas. Checking his watch, he noticed that it was forty minutes since Jenny had called Abby.

"Well, I reckon we can probably just head home," he said, carefully placing Douglas back in Ziva's car seat. Once he was buckled in, Gibbs took out a flannel blanket he had purchased and wrapped it around the toddler before climbing out of the back seat and returning to the front.

"It'll take us fifteen to drive home," he stated, continuing the conversation he had started in the backseat.

When Jenny just continued to stare at him, he asked, "What?"

Shaking her head in amazement, she said, "You just managed to fit a diaper, undress and re-dress a two year old, buckle him in a car seat and wrap him up in a blanket without him even stirring! How'd you do that?"

"What can I say, Jen? I'm a natural!" Gibbs replied, smirking at her.

"Yep," she said, drawing her fingers through his hair. "I think you are."

Kissing him tenderly, she then sat back while Gibbs started the engine.

"Let's go home," he said quietly. "I don't think we've seen the end of this day just yet, and I need a coffee!"

Backing out of the car park, Gibbs gave the sleeping Douglas a quick glance.

"I wonder what's in store for you, little man," he thought to himself before facing the front again.

Putting the car into drive, Gibbs accelerated and began the journey home, having no idea of what this night would bring but, hoping against hope, that Douglas would still be with them when the morning came.


	3. And Baby Makes Five

**AN - Just a heads up so you won't all scream at me - lol! Although Douglas will be at the Gibbs' for a short while, he is a mere pawn in my story and will not be a permanent fixture. **

**Also, while Tony is currently living in 2007, his memories date back to the late 70s/early 80s when he was a child. This may help explain his reasoning behind the appearance of the new baby. For those of you who grew up in the 70s, I'm sure you'll agree, on the most part, parents weren't quite as open as they are today with the how babies are made subject. Sadly, most of us either found out via the infamous school grape vine, or those horrific sex talk sessions we had at school - shudder! **

**And finally;** **Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! For all the fantastic reviews. I am truly touched. You really do keep me inspired. Please keep letting me know what you think, it is very much appreciated.**

Chapter 3 - And Baby Makes Five

Pulling into the drive-way, Gibbs shut off the engine and, taking out his cell, gave Abby a quick call.

"Hey Abbs, all clear?" he asked as soon as the line clicked open.

"Yeah," replied Abby. "They've been in bed for about twenty minutes and I haven't heard anything so hopefully they're asleep. Ziva was almost asleep on the sofa earlier so she should be out to it."

"Great, thanks Abbs, we're just coming in now. Ah, hang on a tick," Gibbs quickly amended before putting the phone on hold.

At the sound of movement in the back seat, Gibbs turned around to see Douglas suddenly begin to scrunch up his face. Just as he was about to reach back, an almighty bellow suddenly erupted from Douglas' mouth. His face became contorted and his legs pulled up to his chest while his little hands balled into fists.

"Oh no," said Gibbs. "I think he's regressing."

He'd barely got the words out before Jenny had leaped out of her seat and was opening the back door. Climbing over the toddler, she sat down before gently lifting him into her arms. Although Douglas still appeared to be in immense pain, her comforting arms seemed to soothe him a little and his screaming bellows were reduced to crying wails. Holding onto the child as best she could, Jenny tried to whisper soft, gentle words to the writhing toddler but it was having little to no effect.

Suddenly, her arms shifted. Where, a second ago, there had been flesh and movement, Jenny was now reaching into emptiness. In the split second it took to comprehend something was wrong, a heavy weight fell to her lap, which she instinctively grabbed and protected before it fell to the floor. Realising this was no 'it' but rather a very tiny Douglas, Jenny carefully lifted the crying baby and placed him over her shoulder. Watching as the pyjama bottoms and diaper fell to the floor, she patted Douglas' back rhythmically before looking at Gibbs and saying, "I think we're going to need that other packet of diapers, Jethro!"

"Ya think!" was all Gibbs could manage to say.

Five minutes later, with a newly diapered Douglas, the three of them made their way into the house. Just as Gibbs reached up to open the door, it was wretched out of his grasp and he was suddenly facing a very flustered Abby.

"Gibbs! What's going on? You left me on hold for like, ages!" she all but yelled at him.

"Oh Geez, sorry Abbs," apologised Gibbs, grabbing his phone and disconnecting the call. "We were a little distracted."

Pushing their way past Abby, Jenny and Gibbs entered the living room where Gibbs dumped the three bags he was carrying, on the floor while Jenny, still holding onto Douglas and bouncing him in her arms, took a seat on the sofa.

"I thought you said he was about two?" asked Abby, walking closer and taking a peep at the grizzling baby.

"He was, five minutes ago," replied Gibbs dryly. "That's what distracted us. Douglas had another regression."

"How old do you think he is now?" asked Abby, concerned. She had taken a seat next to Jenny and was trying to get a look at the baby's face. "He only looks about six months old," she added.

"Yeah, six or seven," agreed Gibbs. "Not very old anyway. And definitely won't survive another regression."

"Oh no," gasped Abby, jumping up and pacing the room in typical 'Abby' fashion. "We can't let him die!"

"I know that Abby," said Gibbs, slightly frustrated with her dramatic pacing as well as the helplessness of the situation. He sat down next to Jenny before saying, more calmly, "There's not a lot we can do except wait."

"Jethro," began Jenny, speaking for the first time since entering the house. "You didn't happen to think of bottles or formula did you? He's going to need something pretty soon and I don't a steak is going to do the trick!"

Laughing wryly, Gibbs said, "Thankfully I did. I kind of prepared for one more regression, just in case. I've also got some baby food in there as well." He pointed to the bag on the left.

Grabbing the bag, Abby peered eagerly inside.

"Way to go Boss Man," she said excitedly. "You've just about thought of everything!"

Dipping in her hand, she pulled out a jump suit and held it up.

"Aww, Gibbs!" she cooed. "How cute!"

Turning the jumpsuit around so that Jenny could see, both women smiled at the blue, brushed cotton with the three teddies printed along the front.

"Ah, leave it Abbs and bring it here," grumbled Gibbs. "They didn't have much choice."

Taking the one piece from Abby's outstretched arm, he carefully extracted Douglas from Jenny's hold and laid him on the sofa between them. Still a little grizzly, the baby was content enough to accept the change in position, although Gibbs suspected he was more interested in having his stomach filled rather than covered in a blue onesie. Removing the very over-sized pyjama top, he made quick work of fitting Douglas into his new sleep suit, clipping together the press studs around the legs and crotch with ease.

Leaving the infant in the careful watch of Abby and Jenny, he took the bag Abby was still clutching and headed into the kitchen, returning shortly with a filled bottle, heated to perfect temperature and a pacifier.

"Are you right to give him this?" he asked Jenny, handing her the bottle while he gently clipped the pacifier to Douglas' jump suit.

"Sure," said Jenny. "Really not much else for me to do is there?"

Smiling at his confused look, she indicated Douglas expressing wordlessly how impressed she was with the way he had done everything.

Smirking at her, he leaned over the baby and gently brushed along his forehead. "Well, as I said earlier, it's like riding a bike."

Settling the infant in her arms, Jenny placed the bottle in his awaiting mouth and watched fondly as he gripped the teat and sucked greedily.

"So now what happens?" asked Abby, watching as Douglas made a good attempt at guzzling the entire contents of the bottle.

"Well," said Gibbs, exhaling loudly and, once again, taking a seat next to Jenny on the sofa. "I guess we wait. We should know in an hour or so. All his other regressions have taken place within the hour."

It was a tense trio that sat together and waited as the clock slowly clicked over the hour. Having finished his bottle, and showed his appreciation with a spectacular belch, Douglas had quickly fallen asleep in Jenny's arms where he now lay peacefully.

"He's a cute little guy," said Abby softly, as she watched the baby's chest rise and fall rhythmically.

"Yeah, cutest 54 year old I've seen in a long while," retorted Jenny. She looked up at Gibbs. "I wonder if he still knows who he is."

"Dunno," replied Gibbs. "I hope not. It'd be pretty frustrating knowing what's going on, but not being able to communicate anything."

"So, assuming he doesn't regress any further," said Abby, an edge of hope evident in her tone. "What happens to him?"

"Well, we'll have to wait to hear what Tim finds out," began Gibbs, before stopping and suddenly looking around. "Where is Tim? I thought he was coming back here?"

"Oh he rang to say that it would be easier to search the information at home," replied Abby. "His desk top has a different processing system to the lap top which enables easier access to the NCIS network as well as being able to hack into the…."

"That's fine Abby, don't need to know," interrupted Gibbs. For a start, he had no idea what Abby was talking about but, on hearing the work 'hack', decided it was best if he didn't listen any further regardless of his lack of understanding.

"Well, as I said," Gibbs continued. "It depends on what Tim finds out. But, assuming he has a family, it would only be fair to let them know what has happened and see what they wish to do."

"But surely his parents would be too old to raise a baby again. They'd have to be in their mid seventies," began Jenny.

"Some people are still very capable at that age," said Abby. "Look at Sister Margarita? She's eighty-two but can lay down a strike better than most people half her age."

"Yes, but raising an infant is a little more challenging and time consuming than hitting the bowling alley once a week," argued Jenny. "I'm sure if they're capable, they would love to take Douglas, but he may have a wife, or a grown up child that could take care of him. We'll just have to see what Tim can find."

"Why can't you and Gibbs keep him?" asked Abby. "I mean, you're already looking after Tony and Ziva. One more can't be that much harder."

"Well you've obviously never looked after an infant for any length of time," retorted Gibbs dryly. "It damned hard work, believe me. Plus, it wouldn't be fair to his family. He's not a stray puppy Abby. I imagine it's been stressful enough for them knowing he's missing. We kept it a secret from Tony and Ziva's immediate family simply because of the circumstances surrounding their familial relationships. There was no way in hell I was going to let either of their fathers get a hold of them a second time round."

Gibbs closed his eyes and blocked out any thoughts of the repercussions of Eli David or DiNozzo Senior ever discovering their secret.

"Yeah, you're right there Gibbs. Ain't no way either of them are coming anywhere near Tony and Ziva," replied Abby with surprising fierceness. "I'd…I'd….well, I don't know what I'd do, but it wouldn't be pleasant!" She smacked her fist into her hand causing Gibbs to smile at her sudden burst of violence.

"Hey," said Jenny suddenly. She nodded towards the clock. "Look at the time?"

They had been so distracted by the current topic of conversation, they'd failed to notice that it was now ninety minutes since Douglas' last regression.

Looking down at the sleeping infant in her arms, Jenny whispered softly, "Well little man, it looks like you have a reprieve. I guess good fortune smiled down on you after all."

She leaned over and kissed his forehead tenderly, before shifting him slightly to relieve the numbing ache in her arm.

"Here Jen," said Gibbs, reaching over and taking Douglas gently. "Let me take him for a while."

Placing the sleeping baby against his chest, Gibbs settled back into the corner of the sofa and thought again how lucky Douglas had been. They had certainly cut it fine with this one.

"Well, I might head home then," began Abby, seeing the exhaustion on Jenny and Gibbs' faces.

"You sure?" asked Gibbs, looking up at her. "You're quite welcome to stay."

"Yeah, I know," replied Abby. "But you guys look like you've got everything under control. Besides, you've got the morning to deal with yet," she added, grinning knowingly.

"What do you mean?" asked Jenny.

"Well, I can imagine it's going to be a little bit of a shock for Tony and Ziva to suddenly discover there's a baby living in their house," said Abby wisely. "Trust me! You can have that one on your own!"

"Gee, thanks Abbs!" replied Gibbs sarcastically.

To be honest, he hadn't even thought about what the morning would bring, he had been too concerned with the immediate present. But, now that Abby had mentioned it, he did wonder just how they were going to explain the sudden appearance of a baby to Tony and Ziva. He and Jen were going to have to get that story sorted out and quickly!

****NCIS****

So far, this dream had been living up to Tony's every expectation. He was walking with his Dad through a carnival ground. In one hand he grasped a stick of cotton candy, in the other, a double cheese burger. As they made their way through the crowds lining Side Show Alley, Tony spotted a game up ahead.

"Dad! Can I have a go on that?" he asked, looking up hopefully.

"Sure Tony," replied his Dad, taking the cotton candy and burger and replacing them with dollar bills.

As Tony handed over the money to the man in charge, he was given three foam balls to throw. The object was to hit each of the three targets in front of him. Drawing his hand back, Tony let fly with the first ball. Bullseye! It hit dead centre of the first target and remained stuck fast. Must have special glue, thought Tony as he drew his arm back for the second shot. Bullseye again! This is easy, he thought.

As he brought his arm back for his third and final toss, he could suddenly feel someone tapping him on the arm.

"Hang on," he said, thinking it was an impatient bystander awaiting their turn. "I've got one more shot."

He carefully lined up his shot and let the ball go. It sailed through the air ready to hit the target dead centre. But, suddenly, the target disappeared. In its place sat, not a wooden circle, but a fat baby. Tony watched in horror as the ball hit dead centre of the baby's forehead. Although not seriously hurt, the baby was certainly shocked by the foam ball smacking into its head. It scrunched up its face and began wailing loudly. Everyone around began whispering in shocked tones and several people looked at him in disgust.

"But I didn't mean it," protested Tony, looking around for his Dad to come to his defense.

When his Dad did finally make his way up to Tony, he began tapping him on the arm and calling his name.

"Tony! Tony! Tony!"

The relentless calling went on and on along with the screaming wails of the baby.

"Stop it," called back Tony, no longer enjoying this dream.

"Stop it!"

Suddenly he was awake. The room was still dark, although a faint glimmer of light was peeking through the drapes.

Rousing himself into consciousness, he realised someone was still calling his name and tapping him on the arm. Turning, he squinted through the semi light and saw Ziva standing by his bed.

"Tony!" she whispered, as she continued tapping on his arm.

And, wait a minute, thought Tony, as his mind began to catch up with his other senses. He could still hear a baby crying.

Sitting up, Tony shook his head and looked at his sister.

"Finally!" she said. "I thought you were never gonna wake up!"

"Is that a baby?" he asked, cocking his head to one side as if to allow better access to the noise.

"Yes," replied Ziva. "That's why I came to wake you. There's a baby in Mommy and Daddy's room."

"What?" said Tony, still not believing what he could hear. Was he still dreaming?

"There's a baby in Mommy and Daddy's room!" repeated Ziva, a little more forcefully. "Where do you think it came from?"

Not speaking for a few seconds, Tony allowed his body to reach full wakefulness before looking again at his sister.

"A baby? In Mom and Dad's room?" he asked again.

"Yes!" replied a frustrated Ziva. "That's what I've been telling you! Do you think that's where they went last night? To see the stork?"

"Huh?" asked Tony. "What stork?"

"The stork that brings the babies, dummy," replied Ziva scornfully. "Ima told me all about it. She said that I was going to have a little brother or sister and that the stork would be bringing it when it was ready."

"Babies don't come from storks, silly," informed Tony, rolling his eyes.

"Well, where do they come from then, Smarty Pants?" asked Ziva, her hands firmly planted on her hips.

"The Cabbage Patch of course!" said Tony. "First the mom and dad have to kiss, then the mom starts getting fat. I think she does that so that the Cabbage Patch People know that she's serious because mom's always hate getting fat. Then, after a few months, the mom and dad go to the hospital where there's this huge cabbage patch. The Cabbage Patch King gives them a baby and, if they decide to take it, he rewards them by making the mom thin again."

Tony finished his story and sat back thoughtfully.

"Mom and Dad must have visited the Cabbage Patch when they went to the hospital last night," he mused, more to himself than to Ziva.

"But Mommy didn't get fat," replied Ziva.

"Yeah, that's true," acknowledged Tony. "Maybe it was an emergency situation. Like the original parents didn't want the baby or something?"

"Well," began Ziva, heading for the door. "I'm gonna find out."

"Ziva!" whispered Tony loudly, stopping her in her tracks.

"What!" she whispered, turning back to look at him.

"Wait for me!"

He quickly climbed out of bed and the two of them quietly padded down the hall. As they approached their parent's room, they noticed that the crying had stopped and was now replaced with an occasional grizzle.

Standing with their ears up against the half closed door, they listened intently for any sign of their parent's voices.

Suddenly, the door was wretched open and they were almost trampled by their Dad as he made his way out of the room.

"Augh!" shouted Tony and Ziva, jumping in fright.

"Shi…vers!" replied Gibbs, equally shocked by the sudden appearance.

"What are you two doing standing there?" he asked, once his heart had left his mouth and was, once again, sitting in his chest.

"We could hear a baby crying and wondered if the stork came to visit, " replied Ziva, trying to peek around Gibbs to see into the room.

Rolling his eyes and ignoring his sister, Tony looked up at his Dad and said, with an air of confidence, "Was there an emergency at the hospital Cabbage Patch? Did someone not want their baby?"

"What?" asked Gibbs, staring at the two children as if they had gone completely mad. Either that, or he had.

"The baby!" replied Tony, as if it was self explanatory.

"Come on in and meet him," called a voice from inside the room.

Not waiting for a second invitation, Tony and Ziva pushed past Gibbs and all but ran to the bed. Ziva jumped up first, while Tony ran around to his Dad's side and crawled toward his Mom.

Jenny was sitting up, holding Douglas over her shoulder and patting his back, while the baby continued to grizzle slightly.

"I'll go and get that bottle," called Gibbs from the door, leaving before anyone acknowledged his words.

"Is that a real baby," asked Ziva, trying to peer around Jenny's shoulder to have a look.

"Yep," said Jenny, bringing Douglas down so he was nestled in her arms and facing the two children. "This is Douglas."

"Where did he come from?" whispered Ziva, awed by the site of this tiny human being.

"From the hospital," replied Jenny. "Daddy and I picked up him last night."

"See," retorted Tony triumphantly. "I told you, did I?"

"So, there really is a Cabbage Patch?" asked Ziva, looking up at her Mom.

"Huh?" replied Jenny.

"The Cabbage Patch, Mom," explained Tony. "You know, where all the parents go to collect their babies. Was this little guy left over? 'Cause, although you and Dad kiss all the time, you didn't get fat or anything," he added.

"Tony, I have no idea what you're talking about?" replied Jenny, shifting Douglas slightly as he began grizzling again.

"You know, the Cabbage Patch," repeated Tony, a little less confident than before. "Isn't that where all the babies come from? The mom gets fat and then they go to the hospital to get their baby and the Cabbage Patch King gives them a baby and makes the mom thin again."

"That's an interesting take on the story," said Gibbs, as he entered the room, bottle in hand.

"Yes, I think you may need to have a little 'chat' with Tony," said Jenny. "And I'd make it fairly soon."

Noticing Tony was looking a little confused, Jenny stroked his head and said, "Cabbage Patches aside, that's not where Douglas came from. He was kidnapped and left abandoned at the hospital. That's why we had to go there last night. And Dad and I said we'd look after him until his family were found."

"Oh," replied Tony, a little disappointed. "So he's not our little brother then?"

"No," said Jenny softly, putting her arm around him once Gibbs had taken Douglas. "Sorry honey. He's just visiting for a while."

"Well I'm glad!" suddenly piped up Ziva. "If he's gonna be making all that noise every night, he can go live somewhere else!"

Laughing, Gibbs placed the bottle in Douglas' mouth and watched as the baby gripped the teat hungrily. "He's not crying now Ziva," he said patiently. "He was just hungry. He's too little to use words yet, so the only thing he can do is cry."

Still not entirely convinced, Ziva crawled up closer to her Dad and snuggled next to him, watching while Douglas fed.

"Is he gonna drink all that bottle?" she asked curiously.

"Probably," replied Gibbs. "He's pretty hungry."

"He's noisy when he drinks," she commented, putting her head on one side.

"Well, that's because he trying to drink and breathe at the same time," said Gibbs. "Do you want to try feeding him?"

"Can I?" she asked, her facing lighting up at the prospect.

"Sure," said Gibbs. "That would be a great help. Now, just wriggle back so that you are leaning against the head board."

He waited while she did so.

"Now, you need to support his head carefully because babies' necks aren't very strong."

Gibbs placed Douglas in Ziva's arms. Although he was only about six months old, he still occupied a great portion of Ziva's lap. Putting his arm around Ziva's body, Gibbs was able to support both her and Douglas.

"Here's the bottle. You need to tip it slightly so that it's on an angle. That's it," he praised, as Ziva placed the bottle in Douglas' mouth. The baby latched on again and raised one arm as if to hold the bottle.

"Wow!" whispered Ziva joyfully. "I'm feeding a real, live baby."

"You sure are Sweet Pea," replied Gibbs.

He looked up at Jenny and the two exchanged a smile. They knew Ziva was going to be the harder of the two to accept Douglas, and Gibbs hoped that by getting her involved, it may help to ease any thoughts of jealously she might start to have.

"Can I feed him next time?" asked Tony.

"Sure," said Gibbs. "You guys can feed him any time he needs it. You can also help change his diaper too."

"Ew! No thanks," replied Tony, scrunching up his face in disgust. "You can have the stinky diapers!"

****NCIS****

By the following day however, the novelty of feeding Douglas had definitely worn off. Surviving on only a few hours sleep, the Gibbs family were not at their best when Monday morning rolled around.

Despite feeling like she had the worse hangover in decades, Jenny was actually relieved to be going to work that morning. She did feel guilty leaving Gibbs with three children to sort out though and had expressed as much as she exited the bathroom after her shower.

"I could probably get Cynthia to cancel my appointments today," she said, as she slipped into her black work pants, white shirt and red sweater.

"No, don't worry about it," replied Gibbs for the umpteenth time that morning. He'd just managed to get Douglas to sleep again and was now sitting on the bed trying to convince his eyes to stay open.

"You need to go to work to find out what info there is regarding this maniac that took Douglas in the first place," he continued. "Besides which, Tim may have some news regarding his family."

"Are you sure?" she asked. Although the prospect of going to work was the better option, she did feel sorry for Gibbs.

"Jen," he warned gruffly, giving her a famous Gibbs' glare.

"Alright," she conceded, putting her arms in the air. "But don't say I didn't offer. Tony and Ziva are not in the best of moods this morning and you could be in for one hell of a day."

"Yeah, I heard the screaming match earlier," Gibbs replied. "What was that about?"

He'd been feeding Douglas in the kitchen when, sailing down the staircase, came the none too happy shouts of his two children arguing over something.

"Oh, Tony was teasing Ziva by pretending to tie up and torture her purple bear," replied Jenny, now dragging a comb through her hair before wrapping it in a ponytail.

Gibbs smirked.

"You may well smirk Mr, but you've got them all day," she warned, putting the comb down and heading back into the en-suite to apply her makeup.

"Maybe I could tie them both up and threaten them with torture," he retorted sarcastically, watching Jenny from the corner of the bed.

"Yeah, might be the best option I think," she called back.

Suddenly, a very angry voice came ringing down the hall.

"Tony, if you do that again, I'm gonna flip you over and stand on you!"

"Oh oh," said Gibbs ominously, getting up from the bed. "If they wake Douglas…"

Jenny didn't hear any more. Looking through the en-suite door, she spied Douglas still sleeping in his little porta-cot.

"Oh Douglas," she said softly, walking over towards him. "If you only knew the havoc you are reaping right now."

She watched as his little mouth formed into a sucking position and his hands jerked slightly.

"Maybe you do? Well, I hope not little man. I hope all memory of your former life has left you." She bent down and pulled the cover up slightly, before heading back into the en-suite to finish getting ready.

"What is going on?" asked Gibbs crossly, entering Tony's bedroom and seeing the two children in the midst of a standoff.

"She won't give me back my remote control car," accused Tony loudly, pointing directly at Ziva's face.

"Because he took Amy and has hidden her somewhere," screamed back Ziva.

"Amy?" questioned Gibbs, looking at Ziva. "Who's Amy?"

"My baby dolly. The one that you can feed," she answered.

"I thought you called her Katie," he asked.

"I changed it. I don't like Katie anymore," she replied simply. "And he took her!" she shouted, pointing at Tony again.

"Only because you kept following me around and making her cry all the time," Tony yelled back.

"Well that's what babies do, stupid," shouted Ziva. "That's all Douglas does, all day and all night!"

"OK, that's enough!" called Gibbs, stepping between the two.

Ignoring him, Tony peered around Gibbs and yelled, "At least I can get away from Douglas! He doesn't follow me around screaming in my ear!"

"I said, enough!" repeated Gibbs. Although he hadn't yelled, his tone was dangerous enough that both Tony and Ziva immediately fell silent.

"Now, where's the doll?" he asked Tony.

Sighing, Tony turned around and disappeared out of the room, returning a few second later with a rather neglected looking doll in his hands.

Gibbs took it from him. He then turned to Ziva, "Go and get the car!" he ordered.

She too disappeared for a few seconds, returning with Tony's prized red Ferrari in her hands. Taking it from her, Gibbs handed it back to Tony.

Expecting to get her doll back, Ziva held out her hands expectantly. When Amy wasn't immediately returned, Ziva looked up at her Dad.

"Ziva," he said sternly, holding onto Amy as if she were a ransom. "If you continue to use Amy to annoy Tony, I will take her for a week. Do you understand?"

"But Daddy, she'll die if she doesn't get fed for a week," argued Ziva, ignoring the request.

"Ziva, before Douglas came along, she managed to survive over a month without food or water, I'm sure she'll be fine. Now, will you stop using Amy to annoy Tony, or do I keep her?"

Huffing with annoyance, Ziva rolled her eyes up and said sulkily, "OK!"

Handing the doll back, Gibbs gave a final look at the two children.

"Look guys, we're all tired. And I know it's hard having a baby in the house. It's hard for Mommy and me too," he added, trying to appeal to their sympathetic natures. "We just have to be patient for a little bit longer."

"How much longer?" asked Ziva. "All he does is cry, eat and poop!"

Trying not to laugh, Gibbs sat on Tony's bed.

"I don't know how much longer," he answered honestly. "Hopefully Mom will get some news today when she's at work. Now, I need you both to be good little helpers today. And, not fighting with each other, is one way you can help out, OK?"

"OK," replied Tony.

"I guess so," replied Ziva.

"Good," said Gibbs standing up. "Now Douglas is asleep at the moment and I'd like him to stay that way for at least another hour. So why don't you both come downstairs and play outside for a bit?"

Grumbling slightly, both children turned around and headed down the hall. Gibbs followed and, after peeking in to check on Douglas, quickly made his way downstairs as well.

Entering the kitchen, he watched as both children hugged and kissed Jenny goodbye, before heading outside. Turning to her, he put his arms around her waist and drew her in for a hug.

"Wanna swap?" he asked, jokingly.

"I did offer to take the day," she began.

"I'm kidding," he replied, kissing her quickly then pulling away to pour himself another cup of coffee.

"So it's true then," said Jenny forlornly.

"Huh?" asked Gibbs, turning around to face her.

"Once a baby comes along, all romance disappears," she elaborated pathetically.

"What the heck are you goin' on about?" he growled.

"That kiss?" she stated emphatically. "No romance there, I promise you!"

Although rolling his eyes in exasperation, Gibbs made his way towards Jenny and, placing his arms around her neck, kissed her deeply, exploring every inch of her mouth, while his hands began some exploring of their own.

When he finally came up for air, Jenny stumbled backwards, her knees weak and a definite need coursing through her body.

"Wow!" she said breathlessly.

"Better?" asked Gibbs, lifting one eyebrow.

"Mmmhmmm!" she moaned. "Much! I think I'd better call Cynthia after all."

"No you don't!" said Gibbs smirking, as he turned her towards the door. "Someone needs to earn some money in this family."

Smiling back at him, Jenny gave Gibbs a quick wink, before heading through the living room and out the door.

Sighing, Gibbs poured himself a cup of coffee and was just about to sit at the table when he heard a loud cry coming from the backyard.

"I'm going to tell Daddy on you Tony!" came Ziva's distraught voice. "You're in big trouble now!"

"Yeah, well, so are you!" retorted Tony. "I'm gonna tell Dad that you punched me!"

Placing his head in his hands, Gibbs summoned any higher being that might be listening to give him some semblance of patience and strength to get through this day, before he was unceremoniously bombarded by an angry Ziva and an equally fuming Tony.

Taking one look at the blood oozing from Ziva's knee and the bruise forming on Tony's upper arm, he realised he'd made a big mistake by convincing Jenny to go into work today.


	4. A Shift in Thinking

**AN - The plot thickens! **

**Hope you enjoy! The reviews have been wonderful - thankyou xx**

Chapter 4 - A Shift in Thinking

As Gibbs knelt on the floor, changing Douglas into a fresh diaper, he smirked to himself.

"Well Champ," he said to the infant, as he pulled the last tab around the chubby tummy. "It looks like you managed to achieve in one bellowing scream, what time-outs and threats had failed to do."

Thinking back, Gibbs couldn't help but smile again. Having listened as both Tony and Ziva gave their own over dramatic sides to the story, he quickly concluded that each child was equally to blame. And so, handing Tony an ice-pack for his arm, he sent him to the bottom step for a time-out and, once her knee had been quickly cleaned and a bandaid applied, did the same with Ziva, placing her at the kitchen table.

Once the time-outs were finished, he called both children to the living room, where he began the usual 'post time-out' lecture before asking each child to apologise to the other. Having watched Tony and Ziva begrudgingly perform the ritual, he was about to suggest they find something separate to do for a while, when the bellowing tones of Douglas demanding attention, drifted down the staircase.

Looking at each other, there passed an unspoken solidarity between the two children, before they turned back to Gibbs and said together, "Can we go outside again? Pleeeease!"

"We promise we won't fight," added Ziva desperately.

Although Gibbs immediately realised their only reason for going outside was due to an intense desire to escape the ear-splitting screams of a six month old, he relented none the less. Pleased that, for the time being at least, they were willing to co-operate.

Carrying Douglas into the kitchen, Gibbs sat him on the floor and handed him a set of plastic measuring spoons with which to play. They were looped together with a plastic ring and made a fairly good teething rattle. Toys were the one thing in which they were currently lacking but, without knowing exactly how long Douglas was staying, both Gibbs and Jenny were willing to compromise and adapt at this point.

"So Champ," began Gibbs as he opened the cupboard door where Jenny had stored the baby food. "What's it gonna be?" Looking at the first jar, Gibbs said, "Mashed pumpkin and sweet potato or," he looked at another jar, "Mashed banana and custard?"

Looking down at the plump baby who currently had the plastic spoons in his mouth, Gibbs grabbed the second jar saying, "I don't think you really care do ya Dougy. And anything's got to taste better than those spoons!"

As Gibbs prepared a mid morning snack for Douglas, the baby was happy enough to sit on the floor, suck on his spoons and babble occasionally when the mood suited him.

Before long, the banana custard was ready. Grabbing a plastic spoon from the draw and the tea towel they were currently using for a bib, Gibbs lifted Douglas to his knee and began to feed him.

"Well," began Gibbs, putting in the first spoonful which Douglas enthusiastically took. "I wonder what today will bring as far as finding out about your family."

Scooping up the leftovers from around the baby's face, Gibbs refilled the spoon and went in for the second mouthful.

"I mean, do you have a wife? Kids?" questioned Gibbs aimlessly, as he continued to feed the baby. "House with a mortgage?"

It was kind of ridiculous to think that the helpless baby currently sitting on his lap, was a Sergeant Major. Possibly served tours, probably married with children and more than likely owned a house and a dog.

Sighing, Gibbs chose to not think too hard about those possibilities, choosing instead to finish the bowl of yellow mush, before wiping Douglas clean again and heading into the living room.

"So, what do you feel like doing Dougy? Game of poker?"

Gibbs laughed as the infant looked up at him with big, blue eyes and wobbled slightly on his bottom. He was obviously still getting used to the weight of his head as it wasn't long before he toppled backwards landing on his back with his tiny feet pointing to the ceiling. Unperturbed however, Douglas merely rolled to his side and began a commando style crawl towards the kitchen.

"Did we forget your spoons, hey Champ?" chatted Gibbs.

Walking on ahead, Gibbs grabbed the spoons from the table before opening the infamous Tupperware cupboard. Rummaging through the endless containers of which, he was quite convinced, somehow managed to breed in there, Gibbs sorted out a few brightly coloured bowls and containers along with an assortment of lids with which to keep Douglas amused.

"There ya go Dougy," he said, placing the plastic items around Douglas. The baby immediately stopped and, managing to sit again in a maneuver Gibbs felt sorely needed streamlining, he happily played with the objects.

As he headed back into the kitchen to pour a coffee, it only really occurred to Gibbs how poorly suited the house was for entertaining a baby. Yesterday, with both Jenny home and the novelty of Douglas still high in the minds of Tony and Ziva, it had been easy to get on with things. Between the four of them, someone had always been with Douglas keeping an eye on him. Now, as the soul carer of this tiny, semi-mobile being, Gibbs realised there really wasn't much to do right now, except sit on the sofa and make sure Douglas stayed out of trouble. He was fairly confident the baby couldn't climb the stairs, but again, he wasn't willing to take the risk.

He was just wondering how quickly he could whip up a wooden play pen, when he suddenly remembered the porta-cot. It may not be ideal, but it would certainly serve the purpose for the time being, allowing him to move a little more freely around the house, whilst taking Douglas with him from room to room.

"Come on Champ," said Gibbs, standing up. "How about we take a trip upstairs?"

Bending down ready to scoop up the baby, he was stopped by the sound of the patio door opening. Peering into the kitchen he saw Tony and Ziva running in. A brief glance confirmed that neither was bleeding and both even appeared to be smiling.

"In here guys," he called, straightening up.

"Hey Dad," began Tony, walking into the living room. "Can we have a muesli bar or something?"

"Sure. Can you watch Douglas for a minute while I get them?" asked Gibbs.

Looking suspiciously at the now gurgling infant, Tony asked, "Does he stink?"

"No Tony, unless you count the smell of banana custard?" replied Gibbs, rolling his eyes.

"Nah, that's OK. It's when it appears out the other end that I don't want to know about it."

Tousling Tony's hair, Gibbs headed into the kitchen passing Ziva on the way.

"Do you want some milk, juice or water?" he called, as he opened the cupboard and pulled down the box of muesli bars.

"Juice please," called Tony.

"Water please," called Ziva.

"Hey Douglas," Gibbs heard Ziva say. "You're actually not screaming for once."

"He doesn't always cry, Ziva," replied Gibbs as he made his way back into the living room. "Stuff's on the table," he said, watching as both children raced back to the kitchen.

With supplies in hand, Tony and Ziva sat on the floor with Douglas and began to help stack the Tupperware containers into a tower.

"Dad, do you think we could maybe get Douglas some real toys from the toy library?" suggested Tony, biting into his muesli bar.

"That's a really good idea Tony," replied Gibbs. "When Mom gets home, we'll hopefully have a better idea of how long Douglas might be staying. If it's going to be a few days, I think a trip to the toy library is definitely something we should do."

"Why can't we do it now?" asked Ziva. She too was quite happy to interact with Douglas while he wasn't screaming at her.

"I can't take Douglas in the car Sweet Pea," explained Gibbs. "He doesn't have a proper car seat. He needs a different one to you because he's so much smaller."

Nodding her head in understanding, Ziva continued to help Tony build container towers before she suddenly looked at Gibbs and said, "Hey Daddy, why don't you use some of the wood in the basement and make Douglas some blocks?"

Realising this was actually a brilliant idea, Gibbs smiled at both children saying, "Well look at you two. It's so nice to see you willing to help out and think of things to make Douglas happy."

He then put his next plan into action. If he could make looking after Douglas something the children had suggested, it was more likely they would happily accept the responsibility.

"Ziva, that is also a fantastic idea. The problem is, I can't take Douglas into the basement because it's too dangerous and I can't leave him up here on his own," began Gibbs, trying to look as perplexed as possible.

"We could look after him Daddy," suggested Ziva.

Bingo! Now to cement the idea, thought Gibbs.

"But you two are playing so happily outside. I don't want to have to ask you to stop," replied Gibbs, commending himself on his new found acting skills.

"That's OK Dad," replied Tony, tickling Douglas' tummy. "We can play in here with Douglas for a while. He's not so bad when he's not screaming or pooping."

"That's very kind of you both," continued Gibbs, feeling fairly confident the Oscar would be his this year. "Well, if you're sure, I might head down and quickly whip up some playing blocks out of some old off cuts. Why don't you put the TV on and find a kids show to watch? If you need me, just holler from the top step. I'll be able to hear you."

"OK Daddy," said Ziva smiling.

Standing up, Gibbs kissed each child on the head, before making his way down to the basement, silently congratulating himself on a Golden Globe performance.

It didn't take him very long to collect and cut around fifty different shaped blocks from some cedar off cuts. Being a lighter wood, he felt it would be perfect for Douglas. The next problem was being able to sand them quickly. Checking his watch, he saw that fifteen minutes had already passed. Sanding by hand, would be a two hour job at least. So Gibbs did the one thing he never thought he'd ever do in this basement. He plugged in an electric sander he had received as a gift a few years back. Despite hating every minute of the loud, buzzing machine, he had to admit, it made short work of the task. In forty minutes, which had included a couple of trips upstairs to check all was going well with the children, Gibbs had successfully sanded fifty small pieces of wood into a variety of smooth edged shapes. Included in his collection were cubes, rectangular and triangular prisms and even four cylinders from an thin, wooden post he'd found lying around.

Bundling the blocks into an old piece of material, Gibbs took his prized sculptures upstairs and brought them into the living room.

"How did you go Dad," asked Tony, eyeing off the bundle in Gibbs arms.

"Pretty good I think Tony," replied Gibbs.

He laid the bundle on the floor and carefully unwrapped it.

"Oh wow Daddy!" exclaimed Ziva enthusiastically, as the blocks toppled out around her. "They look wonderful. You are very clever!"

"Why, thank you Ma'am," said Gibbs, tipping a pretend hat at Ziva.

"Could we paint them?" she asked.

"You know," began Gibbs. "I was just thinking about that myself. Maybe if I get a chance when Mom comes home, I could duck out and get some special non toxic paint for us to use. That way, if Douglas puts them in his mouth it won't matter."

"You should make other toys Dad," said Tony, picking up the blocks and inspecting them carefully. "These are really good."

"Well, it's certainly something to think about," replied Gibbs standing up. "Now, how about you guys try them out, and I'll make us some lunch."

Smiling, he watched Tony and Ziva stack the blocks while Douglas picked up a couple and put them into his mouth, before going into the kitchen to make a start on lunch.

****NCIS****

By two o'clock, peace and tranquility were reigning in the Gibbs' house. Well, that's what it looked like to Jenny when she entered the living room. The movie on the TV was nearing the end and on the couch, cuddled up together, were a sleeping Gibbs, Douglas, Ziva and Tony.

Smiling at the picture perfect scene, she pulled out her cell and snapped a photo, the sound of the camera making Gibbs' eyes fly open.

"Oh hi," he said, sleepily. "What time is it? Have we slept all afternoon?"

Thinking it must be after five, Gibbs tried to sit up but realised he was pinned down by sleeping bodies.

"Don't panic," Jenny said quietly, brushing her hand through his hair. "It's only two o'clock, I've just come home earlier."

Still trying to sit up, Gibbs looked at Jenny and said, "Can you take Douglas and put him in the Porta Cot? That'll make one less child I'll have to get around."

Smiling, Jenny did as asked, making it much easier for Gibbs to extract himself from under Tony and Ziva.

"Are you home for lunch?" asked Gibbs, still trying to wake himself up.

Heading into the kitchen, he flicked on the coffee machine and took down two mugs from the cupboard.

"No, I managed to clear the afternoon, so I could come home," replied Jenny, taking a seat at the table and placing her purse in front of her.

"Great," said Gibbs. "I need to go to the hardware store and get some paint. The kids even suggested going to the toy library and getting some age appropriate toys for Douglas."

"Ah, just hang on a tick," interrupted Jenny. "I've actually come home early for a reason."

Curious, Gibbs quickly filled the two mugs and took a seat next to Jenny, handing her one of the mugs. Looking at her he raised one eyebrow questioningly.

"Have a look in there," said Jenny mysteriously, pushing her purse towards him.

Frowning, Gibbs opened the bag and peered inside. Inserting his hand, he pulled out a set of credentials - his credentials.

"What's goin' on Jen?" he asked, putting down the badge and ID before taking a mouthful of coffee.

"Well, I figured you're going to need those," said Jenny, nodding towards the credentials. "I've temporarily reinstated you. There's someone in interrogation I'm assuming you'll want to meet."

Freezing with his mug halfway to his lips and his eyes firmly fixed on Jenny, he said simply, "Who?"

"Dr Jeremy Stevens," replied Jenny. "McDonald's team brought him in late this morning. He was found in the basement of Trentwood's property."

"The bastard who took Douglas?" growled Gibbs, suddenly sitting up and looking agitated.

"The very one," replied Jenny. "After searching the room where Douglas had been kept, they weren't able to find anything that led to his whereabouts. In the end, they decided to go back to Trentwood's property on the off chance they may find further clues there. I think it was more a case of luck and good timing that he was actually there. Anyway," said Jenny taking another sip of her coffee. "He's currently in interrogation. You'll need those to do the job." She nodded towards the credentials. "I want everything done legally Jethro. I don't want some jumped up lawyer saying we took liberties."

Jenny watched at Gibbs picked up the badge and ID and quickly left the room to get changed. When he returned, she stood and smiled at him.

"Your gun's in my desk drawer," she said, putting her arms around his neck. "Grab it before you go in."

"Yep," he replied.

She kissed him tenderly before patting him on the chest, saying, "Go get him, Jethro. Let's fry this bastard."

Smirking at her aggression, he gave her another quick kiss before pulling away and heading for the door. This was one interrogation he was going to enjoy.

****NCIS****

Dr Jeremy Stevens didn't look like your average criminal. Well dressed, neatly groomed, obviously intelligent; he sat calmly at the interrogation table staring straight ahead.

"I'm gonna enjoy breaking him," said Gibbs. He was standing in the observation room with Fornell who had been called in to supervise.

"Yeah, I bet you are," replied Fornell. "He hasn't moved you know? Stevens? He's sat like that since McDonald brought him in about two hours ago."

"That's fine," said Gibbs grimly. "Don't need him to dance Tobias. Just need him to talk."

And with that, Gibbs walked out of observation, only to enter interrogation a few seconds later. Putting down the large collection of files on the table in front of Stevens, Gibbs casually walked around to the opposite side of the table and took a seat.

"Dr Jeremy Stevens," Gibbs said. It wasn't a question but more a statement.

"Yes," replied Stevens, making eye contact for the first time.

"Quite a long list of charges here," said Gibbs flicking through the files. "Kidnap, sexual assault of a minor, physical assault of a minor, accessory to murder, oh and murder one as well. The future isn't look too bright is it Dr Stevens?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about," said Stevens smoothly. "If my former partner Gary Trentwood was involved in unsavoury activities, I was not privy to them. I was merely there as a consultant to his new discovery."

"Really?" replied Gibbs. "So, you knew nothing of the murders?"

"No," stated Stevens.

"Well, what can you tell me about Sergeant Major Douglas Redding?" began Gibbs.

"Who?" Stevens responded arrogantly.

"Hmmm, thought that might be your answer," replied Gibbs. "It's a good job my men are thorough in collecting DNA. Of course, the fact that Douglas managed to get himself to hospital and was given a myriad of tests when he arrived, including a rape test, well, let's just say, DNA doesn't lie, Dr Stevens. But then you'd already know that."

For the first time since Gibbs had entered the room, Jeremy Stevens looked unsure of himself. His face had paled and beads of sweat were beginning to form on his brow.

"Not to mention the DNA that was collected from the bodies retrieved at Trentwood's property," continued Gibbs.

"Don't be stupid," snarled Stevens. "There was nothing left of those bodies."

Gibbs raised one eyebrow. It was all he needed to do before Steven's realised the impact of his words. From that moment on, he knew Gibbs had him and it didn't take long before he was willing to make a deal.

"From where I'm sitting Stevens, you're looking at the death penalty," said Gibbs, tapping the end of his pencil on the table. "We tend to frown upon our serial killers and like to see them eradicated from society. However," Gibbs paused and Stevens looked up, sweat now pouring down his face. "I'm willing to make a deal. We can take the death penalty off the table in exchange for information regarding these de-aging serums. You'll still be looking at life with no parole, but hey, at least you'll be alive."

With the necessary papers signed, Stevens' lawyer present, and a team of onlookers in the observation room, Stevens began to tell his tale.

"I met up with Trentwood at a conference about five years ago. He was a scientist and I, well as you know, I am a Doctor. Anyway, we got talking and Trentwood, or Woody as I called him, well he could never keep his mouth shut, started blurting on about some secret serum he was working on that could 'turn back time'. I was pretty interested so we got chatting and before long, I was on board with the whole project.

"Up until that point, Woody had only ever used it on animals, mice and rats etcetera, but I told him, if he really wanted to get serious with the product, we were going to have to use it on humans. Finding willing tests subjects was difficult and, well, it was easier I guess just to kidnap them. At first it was just homeless people, people we didn't think anyone would miss. We'd inject them and see what happened. In the beginning, it didn't go too well and, let's just say, we had to dispose of the mess."

Gibbs cringed. This man was so indifferent to his actions. There was no sign of remorse, no feelings of regret for what they had done. He was almost annoyed at the subjects for getting in the way when the tests didn't work.

"At this point," Stevens continued. "We couldn't really predict the serum. We discovered it was too strong and would de-age people too quickly, causing the body to break down and die. So we would overdose them, making notes of the changes and then, when there was nothing left, we would dispose of the embryos.

"Our goal, was to create a serum that would be able to take back twenty years of a person's life, permanently. Giving them back those twenty years to live again. In the meantime, we had created a serum that gave us a little more control of the process. It's wasn't, however, permanent. The serum would only last for about 18 months before the subject would re-grow. We did though, manage to perfect the serum so that there would be no side effects to the subject during the regrowth period. They would simply return to their previous age plus the 18 months or so they had lived regressed."

"Is that what you were injecting Douglas Redding with?" asked Gibbs, curious to know what future lay in store for the current infant.

"Yes. We kept some of the serum locked safely away at a different location and that's what I was using," replied Stevens.

"So, in 18 months or so, Douglas will return to normal," concluded Gibbs.

"Yes," stated Stevens.

Gibbs then took a deep breath before speaking again.

"When NCIS stormed Trentwood's property back in April, there were two more victims. Where they also shot using the same serum as Douglas?" asked Gibbs, his heart now racing.

"Two more?" questioned Stevens. "I don't know anything about there being two more. When I left Woody the morning he was shot, I took with me all the serum we had including the nearly completed twenty year serum we'd been working on. Woody said the authorities were onto him and we thought it best if the stuff was kept elsewhere. I think we may have left a tiny bit there, but not enough to regress anyone more than two or three years."

"No, these two had regressed just over twenty years, twenty three to be exact," continued Gibbs calmly, trying desperately not to show how invested he was in this particular line of questioning.

"You sure?" asked Stevens.

"Positive," replied Gibbs.

"That bastard!" shouted Stevens, standing up.

"Sit down!" ordered Gibbs firmly. The agent behind Stevens pushed him down into the chair.

Still fuming, Stevens fell into the chair. "I knew he was up to something. I knew he'd done it and just wasn't telling me. '_Oh take the special stuff Jez,_' he insisted, pretending it was the only supply we had. When all the while, he'd already finished the project. He just wanted it all for himself, the glory, the money."

"What are you talking about Stevens?" growled Gibbs.

"The whole point to our work Agent Gibbs," snarled Stevens. "He kept telling me that the serum wasn't ready yet, when, in actual fact, he'd already perfected in secret. But," Stevens paused and looked confused, "Why would he waste it on more victims?" he said, more to himself than to Gibbs. "Unless?"

Stevens looked at Gibbs.

"Those two victims? Where they already there or were they part of your team?" he asked, comprehension suddenly dawning.

It was great testament to how well Gibbs could mask his emotions when he said casually, "What difference does that make?"

"Well I know Woody, and there's no way he would have wasted all his hard work just testing it out on random people. The only reason he would have used it, is if he were forced. And, the only way he would have been forced, would be if your agents had guns pointed at him."

Stevens leaned forward and said smugly, "So _Agent Gibbs_, if those two victims were part of your agency, then I wouldn't be holding open their jobs if I were you."

Gibbs raised one eyebrow. "No?" he asked, still managing to sound nonchalant.

"No," replied Stevens. "If they were hit with the same serum I finally managed to re-produce, the one Woody and I had been working on all along, there won't be any growth spurt in two years time. I'm afraid, they're going to be doing the whole twenty years again."

As Stevens sat back in his chair and smiled smugly, Gibbs was sorely tempted to punch him in the face. However, the words he had just heard had left him rooted to the spot. Still comprehending what Steven's had said, his blank look must have been taken for disbelief because Stevens once again leaned forward and said, "Don't believe me Agent Gibbs? Well your men took my serum. I'm sure it's being tested now. It won't be long before you know the truth. I hope they weren't your right hand men, those two that were shot. Gonna be a long wait before they'll be ready for their badges again."

As Stevens began to laugh, a sneering, hollow sound, Gibbs silently gathered the papers in front of him and, without saying another word, left the interrogation room, closing the door quietly behind him.

It was, however, a different Gibbs that collapsed against the wall of the hallway.

Leaving observation, Fornell was quickly by his side.

"Jethro," began Fornell, "He could have been lying."

"Did he sound like he was lying, Tobias?" asked Gibbs, taking a few deep breaths before straightening up again.

Knowing Gibbs was right, Fornell chose to remain silent.

"How many in observation?" asked Gibbs, as he quickly opened the door of interrogation and beckoned the agent behind Stevens to come out.

"Five," replied Fornell. "Me, McDonald, his S.F.A, Ducky and the recorder.

Leaving Tobias still counting off the list, Gibbs grabbed the agent from interrogation and hurried into the observation room, pushing the man to go in first.

"Right," said Gibbs, stepping through the door and slamming it behind him, narrowly missing Fornell who was just edging in. "I don't think it needs saying, but what you heard in that interrogation room is strictly confidential. If I hear any of the information being leaked, it will mean your jobs. Is that clear?"

A general mumble of consensus was heard.

Giving each person in the room a final glare, Gibbs opened the door and stood aside, indicating that each member was dismissed.

As they filed passed, Gibbs called out to Ducky. "Duck, a word please."

"Yes Jethro," said Ducky cheerfully.

When the last person had exited, leaving only Gibbs, Tobias and Ducky in the room, Gibbs asked, "So, is what he said true? Is this permanent for Tony and Ziva?"

"Right now Jethro, I can't answer that," began Ducky. "The serum is with Brigette and, as soon as she knows, you'll know. But, I think you should prepare yourself. He did sound as if he were speaking the truth."

Gibbs paced the room, nervous energy making it impossible for him to keep still. Then, stopping in front of Ducky, ran his hand over his face in frustration. "Ah Geez Duck, what a mess!"

"Yes, Jethro," conceded Ducky. "It is different than what we first thought."

"It's gonna be hard work raising two kids again," added in Fornell.

"Raising 'em isn't the problem Tobias," snapped Gibbs. "I'd do that in a heartbeat. It's keeping their true identities a secret that's got me worried."

"Well, with the look you just gave that lot, I think your secret's safe," retorted Fornell.

"For how long? Geez Tobias, it isn't gonna take long for people to put two and two together," snarled Gibbs. "Even if we faked Tony and Ziva's deaths overseas, it still gonna look obvious. Two nameless victims at the scene, two agents mysteriously die, I suddenly feel compelled to adopt two children?"

Gibbs broke off and began pacing again.

"Ok, first things first," he said, continuing to wear out the carpet. "I'll go and see Abby and get her to whip up the most fool proof ID's she's ever made. We'll have to create a back story so convincing even I'd believe it. Then," he turned to Ducky, "As soon as you hear anything from Brigette, I want the pair of you at my place. Jenny's gonna need to hear this as well."

"Of course Jethro," said Ducky.

"Fornell, I'm gonna need you to keep an eye on Eli David. Senior DiNozzo isn't likely to know, or want to know, anything. He's pretty much written off Tony anyway. But Eli? I wouldn't trust that man an inch. He doesn't like that fact that Ziva is working here and he sure as hell doesn't like not knowing where his 'assets' are. I'm sure he's already snooping around to find out where she is."

"On it," replied Fornell.

Sighing, Gibbs finally stopped moving and looked at the two men in front of him.

"Thanks," he said simply, nodding at them both.

Before either man could respond however, Gibbs had abruptly turned and left the room, the door swinging in his wake.

Looking at each other, Ducky was the first to speak. "Well, I don't know about you Tobias, but I don't have an easy feeling about all of this."

"No, nor me," replied Fornell. "And judging by the way Gibbs was pacing around just then, I don't think he's feeling too positive about the future either. I would bet my life savings that his gut is speaking louder than ever right now."

Acknowledging each other with a solemn look, Fornell and Ducky left the observation room, knowing full well that Gibbs was in for some worrying times ahead.


	5. Sinking In

**AN - Thanks again for all the fabulous reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please let me know if you get the chance.**

Chapter 5 - Sinking In

Abby's lab had been Gibbs' first port of call after leaving interrogation. He had been pleased to see Tim was there also. It would mean telling them both together. So, on arriving, he had sent the pair of them into Abby's office. Once he had ensured all cameras were off and all doors were locked, he filled them both in with what had taken place in interrogation. They had both been shocked and full of questions but, as Gibbs had already explained, without confirmation from Brigette, it was all hearsay for the time being. Although, deep in his gut, Gibbs knew that Stevens spoke the truth.

After explaining to Abby that he needed new IDs for both Tony and Ziva, Gibbs has sent her off to begin the task while he continued talking to Tim.

"Any news on Douglas' family?" he asked, as the pair of them remained in the office.

"Well, I think I may have finally tracked them down. It wasn't easy," replied Tim, looking at Gibbs.

"Why, what was the problem?" asked Gibbs.

"Apparently, about fifteen years ago," began Tim. "Sergeant Major Douglas Redding was deployed on a highly classified mission to the Gulf. Two years later, when the mission was complete, there were some leaks regarding the task and Douglas Redding, his wife and two daughters were sent to live in France for their own protection. Not many were told of their whereabouts and, as hoped, he and his family fell from the radar."

"So what was he doing in the US when he was kidnapped?" asked Gibbs.

"Well, that's what I wondered as well. As it turns out, he was here for a top secret conference to discuss some of the issues that were leaked and how they may have come about," continued Tim. "Apparently, Douglas popped out to get some coffee and wasn't seen again. Naturally, the people at the conference assumed it was something to do with the mission and kept his disappearance under wraps for a while, choosing to launch a search from their end, until it became obvious that it wasn't anything to do with their conference. Sadly though, time was wasted while they were figuring this out."

"Yeah, I bet," added Gibbs. "So, I'm assuming his family is still in France?"

"Well the wife is," said Tim. "One daughter moved to the UK eight years ago and the other married an Italian and moved to Italy about three years ago."

"Have they been told?" asked Gibbs.

"Agents have apparently been notified in France and will be telling the wife as soon as possible. They didn't feel it was something that should be done over the phone," explained Tim.

"No," agreed Gibbs. "So we could still have Douglas for a few days then?"

"Yeah, at least," said Tim. "I guess it depends on how quickly the news sinks in and Mrs Redding is able to get on a flight."

"Ok, then," said Gibbs standing up. "I guess I'll need to get some more supplies. Hopefully his wife will be able to get here before Sunday. It would be nice to have Tony's birthday with just family around."

"Oh, of course," said Tim, as the pair of them headed into the main lab. "I'd forgotten about that. Well, not forgotten exactly," amended Tim quickly. "Just sort of forgot with everything, you know…" he dwindled off.

"Yeah, I get ya Tim, don't worry about it," said Gibbs, slapping Tim on the back. "As long as you can make it Sunday, that's all I care about."

"Can't wait Gibbs," said Abby cheerfully, as the two men walked up to her. "Has Tony decided what he wants to do?"

"Well, believe it or not," said Gibbs, looking over Abby's shoulder at what she was doing. "He just wants everyone around, barbecue for lunch and pizza for tea. I don't think he's experienced much in the way of birthday parties, so having the people he loves around him, is more than enough."

"Aww, that's so sad Gibbs," commented Abby. "We'll have to make it extra special for him. I've got him Twister so we can have a couple of games of that."

"Great Abbs," replied Gibbs sarcastically. "My back thanks you already!"

Taking another look at what she was doing Gibbs asked, "So how's it coming? We're you able to do it?"

Giving him a wry look, she retorted, "Gibbs seriously? I've been making fake IDs since I was fourteen. Now go away and let me work." She waved her arms about as if shooing away a pesky couple of flies.

"Alright, I'm going," he said smirking at her. "When Brigette knows more, I'll be calling a family meeting OK?"

"Sure Gibbs, I'll be there," she replied, still looking intently at her computer screen. "I'll bring these with me," she added, pointing to the IDs on the screen.

"Thanks Abbs," said Gibbs, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek before leaving the lab and heading home.

When he arrived home, having stopped on the way to pick up some baby essentials, including a baby car seat, Gibbs noted how quiet the house was. Making his way into the kitchen, he deposited the bags he was carrying on the table and turned to look out the patio door. Sitting on the grass, spread out on a blanket, were Jenny and Douglas. He smiled at the sight. Jenny was laid on her side, propped up on her elbow while Douglas was sitting playing with the blocks he had made him earlier.

"Darn it!" cursed Gibbs to himself as he watched the baby picking up the blocks. "Forgot to pick up some paint."

Opening the patio door, he headed out onto the grass and sat down next to Jenny. Douglas looked up at him and smiled, his one tooth poking through. Gibbs leaned over and gave Jenny a gentle kiss before grabbing Douglas up and ticking his tummy making the baby giggle with delight. He put the baby back down amongst his blocks.

"So, how did it go?" asked Jenny, shuffling over so that she was resting her head in his lap.

"Not great Jen," he answered. "Where are the kids?"

Jenny sat up and looked at him intently. "In the tree house. Why? What happened?"

Gibbs turned to her and told her everything that Stevens had said. He also expressed his fear for Tony and Ziva's safety and explained that he had asked Abby to create fake IDs for the pair of them.

"How likely do you think it is that Eli will come looking?" Jenny asked, staring out towards the tree house.

"Very," replied Gibbs grimly. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's not looking already but, if we fake Tony and Ziva's deaths, he's not going to let it go."

"So, what are we going to do?" asked Jenny.

"Not much we can do really," replied Gibbs, watching Douglas playing. "Just make their deaths sound as convincing as we can. Obviously there can't be any bodies, so a chartered plane crash over the ocean makes the most sense. Secondly, we need to ensure Abby's ID's are absolutely fool proof and keep a low profile."

"I'll get the fake deaths organised tomorrow when I go in," said Jenny. "I'll log them in as Missing to begin with and then change the status to Missing - Presumed Dead by early next week."

"Can we wait until after Tony's birthday?" suggested Gibbs. "As soon as you log them in as missing, Eli and possibly Senior will be around wanting to know details. It's best if the kids aren't here. I was thinking I might take the them down to Stillwater to meet Dad, but if you could put out the word I fled to Mexico, overcome with grief and I'm living with Mike?"

"Drowning your sorrows in a bottle of tequila?" said Jenny smiling, as she watched Douglas give up on the blocks and roll onto his back.

"Yeah, something like that," said Gibbs, scratching at the stubble on his chin. "I'll have to give Dad a call and fill him in first. That'll be an interesting call."

"Why do you have to tell him the truth? Just say that Tony and Ziva were the kids of an old buddy and you were named as their guardian?" said Jenny.

"Nah, too many lies, plus the kids might screw up and mention their old lives," replied Gibbs. "Nope, better to tell the truth. He'll believe me, and he's pretty good at keeping secrets," added Gibbs wryly. "Where do ya think I learned to keep my mouth shut?"

Jenny laughed as she stretched out and handed Douglas another block before he started rolling away. He grabbed it happily and pushed himself into a sitting position once again.

"So, how do you feel about raising them, now that it's not just for two years?" asked Jenny, reaching up and running her fingers through Gibbs' hair.

"Honestly Jen?" he replied. "I'm relieved. I was terrified of what would happen to them when they regrew. Would they remember all this? Would there be complications? What effect would it have on them socially? Now I don't need to worry about all that. And Tony and Ziva will hopefully never be aware of their first childhoods."

He turned to face Jenny again and, reaching out, he gently grabbed her shoulders. "Just think Jen, Ziva will never know she killed her brother, she'll never be burdened with Talia's death or trying to please her father. And Tony? He'll grow up knowing he's loved, appreciated and accepted for who he is. Jen, I've been given a chance to give these guys a new past, if that makes sense, a chance to allow them to grow up carefree, unburdened and happy."

He dropped his arms and stared into her green eyes. She was smiling at him, the light of the afternoon sun highlighting her hair. He reached out and pulled at a strand, letting the softness filter through his fingers.

"But what about you Jen?" he asked seriously, playing with another strand. "How do you feel about raising two kids? We did think it would only be for a couple of years, how are you now, knowing it's forever?"

"Jethro, as I said to you in the beginning, I don't know what the future will bring," replied Jenny, staring back into the cobalt blue. "But as far as right now is concerned? I couldn't be happier. I was also worried about them regrowing and the effects it might have. I love those two like they're my own and I couldn't imagine life without them."

Gibbs leaned forward and, gently cupping her face in his large hands, he kissed her tenderly.

"I love you Jen," he said, speaking around her lips.

"Love you too," she replied, lifting her hand and placing it behind his head.

As they continued kissing, their enjoyment was suddenly interrupted when Jenny felt something wet dribble onto her legs. Looking down, she saw Douglas trying to crawl his way into her lap. Block held in his mouth, he was drooling onto her bare leg.

"Hey there Mister," she said, pulling away from Gibbs and lifting the baby into her arms. "I guess we should find you a proper teething ring."

"Oh, I've got that," said Gibbs suddenly, standing up. "I stopped off at the store on my way home and bought a few things. That reminds me, I need to fill you in on Douglas. I was so distracted about Tony and Ziva, I forgot."

"Well, let's do that inside. This little man needs a diaper change," replied Jenny, also standing and lifting Douglas onto her hip.

"Tony! Ziva!" she called, before following Gibbs inside.

"Yeah?" came two voices from the tree house.

"I'm just going back inside to change Douglas," she explained.

"Ok," replied Tony. "We're staying out here for a bit longer."

"That's fine," she called. "You've got an hour before tea." Then turning, she headed back inside.

****NCIS****

"Well at least we know this isn't permanent for Douglas," said Jenny as she began dishing up dinner.

She looked over at Gibbs. After having explained to her what Tim had told him, he had ducked out again to pick up some paint. On the way back home, Gibbs noticed a second hand store that was still open and had stopped in to see if they had any baby accessories. He was in luck, and managed to come home with a high chair, still in fairly good condition, a playpen and some toys which just needed a couple of hours soaking in disinfectant.

"Yeah," replied Gibbs, who had managed to get Douglas into the high chair and was now placing a bib over his head. "Hopefully Mrs Redding will take up the challenge. It's gotta be weird though," added Gibbs as he grabbed the bowl of mashed vegetables Jenny had put aside for Douglas.

"But if she loves him?" said Jenny, walking to the patio door. "I'd do it, if it were you."

She called out for both children to come inside.

"Really?" replied Gibbs. "You'd look after me if I was like this?" He pointed at Douglas.

"Oh course," she replied. She walked up behind him and, leaning over his shoulder, she said softly. "I'd change your diaper and give you nice soothing baths and make sure you didn't get a little rash." She giggled before pinching his bottom and scooting away.

"Watch it," said Gibbs, glaring at her. Jenny tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to not laugh as she placed the plates on the table.

"What ya laughing at?" asked Tony, as he and Ziva came bounding in.

"Oh nothing," replied Jenny. "I was just laughing at Douglas in his high chair."

"Hey, that's a great chair," said Ziva. "Where did it come from?"

"Daddy bought it from a second hand store," explained Jenny.

As both children immediately sat at the table, Jenny stared them.

"What?" they both asked, looking at her.

"Hands!" she growled. "They're filthy."

Groaning, both children got back up and headed to the sink where they quickly washed their hands before sitting down again.

"Yuck!" exclaimed Ziva looking over at the baby. "What's Douglas eating?"

"Mashed vegetables," replied Gibbs, who was currently trying to ensure what went into Douglas' mouth made it all the way to his stomach. Douglas' favourite game seemed to involve gumming his food, then spitting it out onto his tray.

"Douglas, you're table manners are disgusting!" announced Ziva, as she watched the baby spit out the current contents of his mouth. "He eats like you Tony," she added giggling.

"Hey! I do not!" retorted Tony. "You're the one who's still a baby!"

"Am not," she argued. "There's the baby!" she said, pointing to Douglas.

"Hey, both of you, cut it out and eat," growled Gibbs as he tried again to get Douglas to swallow his food.

Turning back to their plates, Tony and Ziva managed to get in two mouthfuls before the next conversation arose.

"So Dad," asked Tony, refilling his fork. "Is everyone able to come over on Sunday?"

"As far as I know," said Gibbs. "Are you sure you're happy just having everyone around here? We could go somewhere if you wanted?"

"Nah, I like it here. And having everyone around will make it seem like a real party," he said, taking another mouthful.

"What do you mean?" asked Jenny.

"Well, I remember the other kids having parties where they would invite friends around and everyone would eat party food and play games and stuff. I always wanted that, but Senior said no," said Tony softly. "When I was seven, Mom took me to a park and some of my friends met me there, but it wasn't the same."

Jenny glanced at Gibbs and they exchanged a knowing look.

"Having everyone here is fine," said Jenny. "As long as that's what you want."

When Tony nodded, she continued, "So what kind of food would you like?"

"I'm happy just to have a barbecue," said Tony and Jenny could tell that he was just settling to make things easier for her and Gibbs.

"We have a barbecue most weekends Tony, this one is special," she replied. "So, if you could have anything you wanted, bearing in mind we'll be having pizza for tea, what kind of food would you really like to have?"

"Well," began Tony, squirming slightly in his seat. "I'd really like to have party food, you know, like sausage rolls, party pies, chips, candy, hot dogs."

"And fairy bread!" yelled Ziva. "I saw that on TV the other day. The kids had bread with hundreds and thousands on it."

"Yeah," agreed Tony. "Stuff like that."

"Well then," said Jenny smiling at him. "That's exactly what we'll have. I'll go to the store on Friday and make sure I stock up on all the junk party food available," she added.

"Thanks Mom," he said, blushing a little. "You don't think it's silly for an eleven year old to want that?"

"Oh course not, Honey," Jenny replied, reaching out and stroking his head. "Tony, you missed out on so much with Senior, I don't think it's odd at all that you should want those things now. And Dad and I are more than happy to make sure you have the best party ever."

Tony's smile turned into a huge grin as he put in his next mouthful and happily began chewing.

"Can I have a party when I turn six?" asked Ziva.

"Of course you can," replied Jenny. "But you've still got a while to go yet. We'll talk about your birthday when it's a bit closer."

"Can I have a party for turning five and a half?" she asked cunningly.

"Nope," said Gibbs quickly.

"Why not Daddy?" replied Ziva.

"Because, we don't celebrate half birthdays," said Gibbs, as he managed to get the last spoonful into Douglas.

"Well I think we should," stated Ziva. "Once a year isn't enough. It takes too long for it to come around."

"Trust me honey," replied Jenny. "When you get older, you'll be wishing you could celebrate every two years. Now hurry up and eat the rest of your dinner."

Looking slightly disappointed, Ziva gave up her half birthday discussion and went back to eating her meal.

When everyone had finished and the dishes had been cleared to the sink, Gibbs gently took Douglas out of his highchair.

"Ziva, would you like to have a bath with Douglas tonight?" he asked, settling the baby on his hip.

"Can we have bubbles?" asked Ziva.

"I guess so," added Gibbs.

"OK then," she said cheerfully, skipping on ahead and going up the stairs.

As Gibbs sat on the edge of the tub, waiting for the water to fill, he heard Tony complaining loudly from his and Jenny's bathroom.

"Pew! That stinks! How can someone so little produce such a bad smell?"

Gibbs laughed to himself. He assumed Jenny was changing Douglas just as Tony was heading in for a shower.

"It's not that bad," he heard Jenny say.

"Not that bad! How can you stand it?"

"Just be thankful I'm not making you change it," Jenny retorted.

As Jenny walked into the bathroom carrying a naked Douglas, Gibbs looked up at her and grinned.

"Tony not impressed hey?" he asked.

"No," she said simply. "OK, here's one little fellow ready for a bath," she said, handing Douglas to Gibbs. "Where's Ziva?"

"In her room getting her stuff," replied Gibbs. "Come on Ziva!" he called loudly from the bathroom.

"Does Douglas still stink?" he heard her shout down the hall.

Rolling her eyes, Jenny left in search of the five year old. Finding her standing naked in the door way to her room, Jenny said, "Come on, the bubbles are all ready for you."

"Yeah, but does Douglas still stink. I don't want poop in the bath with me," replied Ziva, crossing her arms and holding her stance.

"I've cleaned Douglas up, there's no poop, I promise," said Jenny taking Ziva's hand and leading her down the hall.

Half dragging Ziva, Jenny stopped when they reached the bathroom. Douglas was already into the water, supported by Gibbs and was happily splashing his hands up and down.

"Go on," encouraged Jenny, pushing Ziva gently forward.

Ziva eyed the infant suspiciously, before holding onto the sides of the tub and carefully climbing in. As she sat down, Douglas gurgled happily and began to kick his legs in excitement.

"See," said Gibbs. "He's happy to have you in here."

Ziva smiled at the baby and, picking up some of the toys that they had collected, she began to play with Douglas. Finding a plastic fish, she filled it up with water then squeezed it firmly, squirting the water back out over Douglas' tummy.

They continued playing quite happily for a while until Ziva suddenly stopped and looked up at Gibbs.

"What?" he asked, looking back at her.

"Why is the water suddenly warm here but the tap isn't on?" she asked. Then, looking down at Douglas, she realised what was happening.

"Oh yuck!" she yelled, standing up quickly and trying to climb out of the bath. "Douglas peed on me!"

"Ziva!" growled Gibbs. "Sit down, you'll fall if you climb out too quickly."

"No way! I'm not sitting in that! Yucky Daddy. Let me out!" She was almost sobbing with the horror of what was happening. Gripping the side of the bath, her legs were hoping from one to the next to try and avoid standing in the water.

"Jen!" called Gibbs. "Ziva, sit down before you fall!"

"What?" said Jenny as she came into the bathroom.

"Mommy, Douglas peed on me… It's not funny!" she yelled, as Jenny burst out laughing.

"Jen, can you take Douglas and get him dressed?" asked Gibbs, lifting the baby out of the tub and wrapping him in a towel.

Once he was handed over, Gibbs lifted Ziva out and stood her on the bathmat.

"Stop it Ziva," he said firmly but not unkindly. "It won't hurt you. Douglas is only a baby and he can't control when he goes to the bathroom."

"But it was all over my legs," she wailed. "I'm all dirty now!"

Pulling the plug, Gibbs turned to Ziva and said, "How about you stand under the shower for a minute and let the water run down your legs and clean them off?"

"I'll need lots of soap," retorted Ziva.

"Go for it," replied Gibbs. He placed a shower cap over Ziva's head then, turning on the taps and adjusting the water, he handed her a bar of soap and tried desperately not to laugh as she climbed in and began scrubbing her legs.

After a couple of minutes, Gibbs took back the soap saying, "I think you're done," before turning off the taps and allowing her to step out. Wrapping her in a towel, he scrubbed her dry.

"I'm never having a bath with Douglas again," she said sulkily, as Gibbs began drying her legs.

"Oh Ziva," said Gibbs a little crossly. "It wasn't that bad. Just be thankful he'd already done a poop before getting into the bath."

Looking at him with absolute horror, Ziva almost dry retched as Gibbs wrapped her back in the towel and sent her off to her room with a gentle pat to her bottom.

When, a few minutes later, Tony had been told the story, he too couldn't help but laugh.

"You wouldn't laugh if it happened to you!" yelled Ziva crossly. She had been hoping for sympathy, seeing as she hadn't received any from her parents.

"Yeah, but it didn't," replied Tony callously. "It happened to you!" And once again he doubled over laughing.

Stepping up behind him, Gibbs sharply swatted the bottom that was pointed in his direction.

"Stop teasing your sister," he admonished, when Tony quickly stood and covered his behind.

"Oh come on Dad," replied Tony, still holding back the laughter. "You've got to admit, it's pretty funny!"

"It is NOT!" yelled Ziva, losing her temper completely and launching herself at Tony fists flying.

"Ziva!" growled Gibbs, stepping forward and pulling her off her brother. "We've spoken before about your temper Missy. Tony is only teasing you. I know it's annoying, but you don't need to attack him like that."

"But he makes me so mad!" she said, clenching her fists and stamping her foot.

"Go to your room please," ordered Gibbs calmly. "You need some time to cool off. I'll call you when five minutes is up."

"I hate Douglas!" yelled Ziva suddenly, not moving and crossing her arms in defiance. "Why did he have to come here? He wrecks everything!"

"Ziva," warned Gibbs, his voice dangerously low. "Go to your room now, before I add a sore bottom to your troubles."

With angry tears filling her eyes, Ziva let out a low growl, before stomping past Tony and Gibbs and then running to her room. As the door slammed shut, Gibbs let out a long sigh.

"Where did that come from?" asked Tony, still surprised at Ziva's outburst.

"Tony, Ziva has been the baby for a long time. Even before she came to live with us, she was the baby," explained Gibbs. "She's just finding it hard to adjust to someone else receiving more attention and having Douglas wee on her in the bath certainly didn't help matters."

"Yeah," said Tony, covering his mouth to avoid laughing again. "I guess not," he spluttered, laughter joining the words.

"And having you tease her," began Gibbs, looking sternly at his son, "also doesn't help! What she did was wrong, but sometimes Tony, you provoke her."

"Yeah, I guess," replied Tony, sobering a little. "I just can't help it. She bites so easily."

"Well one day, she may just bite you pretty hard," warned Gibbs. "Don't come crying to me if she really hurts you."

When Tony nodded and looked somewhat contrite, Gibbs turned to leave the room.

"Come on then, you can go and start the dishes," said Gibbs, turning Tony towards the door and pushing him in the direction of the hall.

Tony groaned. He knew he wasn't going to get out of this with just a telling off.

As Gibbs watched Tony head down the stairs, he turned right and made his way to Ziva's room. Opening the door, he found the little girl lying on her stomach, face buried into the pillow.

"Hey Sweet Pea," he called softly as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Your five minutes is up."

She didn't respond other than to turn her head towards the wall.

Smiling, Gibbs reached out and laid a hand on her back, rubbing gently.

"Do you want to tell Daddy what's bothering you?" he asked gently.

When she still didn't respond, he leaned over and scraped her hair back behind her ears revealing her face. Tears were tracked down her cheeks and her nose was running. Taking a tissue from her nightstand, he gently wiped her nose and pocketed the tissue.

"You don't love me anymore," he heard her mumble into her pillow. "You love Douglas more."

"No I don't," replied Gibbs firmly, resuming his back rubbing.

"So why did you all laugh when Douglas peed on me?" she asked, turning her head to face him. "I wanted to get out of the bath but you made sure Douglas got out first."

"Honey, I had to get Douglas out first because he can't support himself in the bath," reasoned Gibbs. "That doesn't mean I love him more. It just means that he needed to be dealt with first otherwise he could drown."

"But I wanted to get out and you just growled at me," sobbed Ziva, fresh tears falling down her face.

"Because I didn't want you to slip and hurt yourself," replied Gibbs. He patted her gently on the bottom before saying, "Listen Ziva, I will always love you. There is nothing you can do that will make me love you less. I know having Douglas here is a bit hard at the moment. It's hard for all of us," he added, stroking the hair away from her sweaty forehead. "But, he's only here for a few more days and then he'll be back with his own family and we can get back to normal."

She propped herself up on one elbow and gave him a teary, pathetic look. "I want to be your baby," she said softly.

Looking down at her, his heart melted. Scooping her up, so that she was cradled like an infant across his lap, Gibbs bent forwards and kissed her on the forehead.

"You will always be my baby girl," he said firmly, brushing back her hair. "It's doesn't matter how big you get, just as Tony will always be my baby boy."

"But Tony's gonna be eleven soon," remarked Ziva.

"So," replied Gibbs. "That doesn't stop him from still being my baby boy."

He stood up and continued holding Ziva in the cradle position.

"Now, my baby girl," he said, reaching down and tickling her tummy. "Are you ready to come downstairs and watch some TV?"

She nodded.

"I'll tell Tony I'm sorry for jumping on him and punching him," she said quietly.

"I think that's a great idea," replied Gibbs, kissing her nose gently before lifting her up and tossing her over his shoulder. Giggling, Ziva leant forward and began smacking Gibbs on the bottom. "Giddy-up horsey!" she yelled as she smacked him into action.

Laughing, Gibbs grabbed onto Ziva's feet and carried her in that position all the way to living room where he deposited her onto the couch. Handing her the remote he said, "Here, find something decent on TV," before heading into the kitchen to see how Tony was going with the dishes.

As he entered, Gibbs saw that Tony was just putting the last of the cups away, while Jenny was wiping down the table.

"Where's Douglas?" he asked, looking instinctively to the floor.

"In bed," replied Jenny. "I gave him a bottle and put him down after his bath. Hopefully he'll sleep for a while."

As Gibbs passed Tony to pour himself and Jenny a cup of coffee, he said quietly, "Ziva's in the living room and I think she has something to say to you. Accept it graciously or you'll find yourself going to bed early. Capiche?"

"Yep," said Tony, as he left the kitchen to sit with his little sister.

"What was that about?" asked Jenny.

"Ziva wanted to apologize for losing her temper with Tony. She's feeling a little put out with Douglas. And the last thing she needs right now, is Tony being a smart ass and setting her off again," explained Gibbs, as he peeked around the door. He smiled when he saw the two of them were sitting together and talking about what to watch on the TV.

Handing Jenny her coffee, they headed into the living room ready to relax and watch some TV. Although it had been a trying day and one where many questions were still left unanswered, Gibbs couldn't help but feel relieved. He had been dreading losing Tony and Ziva to the adult world again and now, hopefully, he wouldn't have to face that in two years time. Instead, he had been granted a second chance. A chance to give these two the past they deserved as well as giving himself the future he ached for. With Jenny by his side, they would face this challenge. Together, they would redefine the future.


	6. Putting Plans in Place

**Please Note**

**I wanted to explain a little about my thought process when writing this story. You'll notice that not everything is being solved straight away. There are back storylines that are threaded through the main plot. As many of you will know, even when there's a major problem going on, family life still continues. Children still need attention and the routines must be kept as best as possible. Therefore, the sub plots, including Tony's pre-pubescent acting out, Ziva's jealousy towards Douglas and Gibbs and Jenny's resolve to train Ziva to stay in her own bed, continue in the background, surfacing when necessary. Added to that is the preparation for Tony's birthday, finding Douglas' family as well as putting in place the plans to keep Senior and Eli at bay. **

**Therefore, over the next few chapters, there will be a lot of information provided. My hope is that it doesn't become too disjointed and that you, as the reader, will be able to follow logically what's going on. **

**Enjoy, and please review if you get chance. I love hearing your thoughts and I hope this continues to make sense.**

Chapter 6 - Putting Plans in Place

It wasn't until Wednesday afternoon that Gibbs got the call from Ducky to say that Brigette had finally finished testing the serum.

"So, what's the verdict Duck?" asked Gibbs. He had just managed to put Douglas down for a nap and was now sitting at the kitchen table enjoying a cup of coffee.

"Well Jethro," began Ducky. "It is what we expected I'm afraid. There is no reversal on the serum. Tony and Ziva will grow normally from this point on and will have no memory of their former adult lives."

"And Dougals?" asked Gibbs, taking a sip of the hot brew.

"Well, for him it's what we first thought Tony and Ziva had been hit with," replied Ducky. "He will continue to grow normally over the next eighteen months and then he will regrow to his former age, plus the eighteen months he would have missed."

When Gibbs didn't respond, Ducky felt the need to fill in the silence.

"I'm sorry Jethro. I wish the news could have been better for you," he said sympathetically.

"Ah, it's fine Duck. I'm actually pleased for Tony and Ziva," said Gibbs, standing up and looking out the patio door for any sign of the two children. "It just means that we will need to implement their new identities. Keeping Eli and Senior clueless will be the challenge now."

"Yes," agreed Ducky. "I'm afraid I don't fancy your chances there Jethro."

"No, me neither," replied Gibbs grimly. Suddenly spotting Tony and Ziva in the middle of a game of tag, Gibbs smiled and took a seat at the table again.

"So, family meeting here tonight at 9.30 if you can make it Duck. I want to go through the plan Jen and I have put in place so everyone is on the same page," said Gibbs. "Sorry for the lateness, but I need Tony and Ziva in bed."

"Yes of course Jethro," agreed Ducky. "No problem at all. I'll make sure I'm there."

"Thanks Duck," said Gibbs. "Oh and thank Brigette for me will ya?"

"I will," replied Ducky before hanging up.

Gibbs then spent the next ten minutes making calls. Having rung Jenny first to fill her in on what Ducky had said, he then called Abby and Tim to make sure they could make it that evening. When he finally hung up after speaking with Tim, Gibbs put his head in his hands and allowed the information to really sink in.

So, this was it, he thought to himself. He was now the proud father to two children, not just for two years but forever.

Forever.

Gibbs allowed the word to roll off his tongue. There was a part of him that still grieved a little for the adult Tony and Ziva he once knew. His smart ass Senior Field Agent, who instincts he trusted with his life, despite the childish and often annoying ways he went about things. And the stubborn, strong-willed Mossad Officer, desperately seeking approval, not that she would have ever admitted to that.

Yep, he thought, he would miss them. But, knowing he now had a chance to rewrite their futures? On one hand, he felt relieved and excited but on the other, it terrified him. What if he screwed up? What if he did a worse job than their previous father's had? Surely not, he thought to himself.

Running his fingers through his hair, he wondered what the future would bring for Tony and Ziva. No longer locked into their former lives, he realized they could do and be anything they wanted. The whole world was at their feet. Would Tony still feel the urge to join the police force? And what about Ziva? With no father pushing her into Mossad, just what was she going to do with her life? So many unanswered questions. Their whole lives lay stretched out before them. It was almost a like a release. A brand new start, for all of them.

"Daddy!"

He was suddenly startled out of his reverie by the commanding voice of his five year old. _His_ five year old. Not Eli David's, but his. That thought hit him like a sudden rush of sunshine breaking through an otherwise cloudy day. He looked down at her demanding face. Her brown curly hair, unruly as usual, was plastered to her forehead in sweaty strands, the rest of it hanging loosely down her back. Her tiny body was encased in a pair of grass stained overalls, her current favorites, and a Dora the Explorer t-shirt underneath. No shoes adorned her feet, and her skin glowed with a mixture of sweat and the natural olive complexion she had inherited. Although tiny, he didn't worry about her size. Knowing that the adult Ziva was a healthy 5ft 6, he knew she grow eventually. For now, her petite stature just added to her charm.

"Daddy!" she called again, this time tapping him on the arm. Ahh, yes, his little girl. Still stubborn, still strong willed, still with a temper that often led her to trouble, but oh how he loved her. His little Sweet Pea.

"Yes honey," he finally answered, looking down into her flushed face.

"Can you tell Tony to stop chasing me?" she demanded. "I told him I don't want to play anymore, but he won't listen."

"Well, don't run," advised Gibbs simply. "If you don't run, he can't chase you."

"But he keeps tagging me, even when I'm not running," she explained.

"OK," said Gibbs, standing up. "You go back outside and play and I'll have a chat to him, alright?"

"Well, make it a good chat," said Ziva bossily. "Because if he tags me one more time, I'm gonna tag him back, right in his thumb joint!"

"No you're not, Madam," replied Gibbs sternly. "That will only land you in trouble. Now thank you for telling me about Tony, but you let me deal with him."

"But what if he doesn't listen?" she asked.

"He will," said Gibbs.

"Hmph," huffed Ziva, crossing her arms and looking up at him. "I still think my way works better."

"Your way will land you over my knee, is that what you want?" asked Gibbs sternly.

"No," she grumbled softly, shoulders slumping.

"OK then," she finally conceded. "You talk to him Daddy. But make sure he listens," she added, wagging her finger at him.

"Yes Ma'am," Gibbs replied, sounding suitably chastised. As Ziva turned and headed back outside, he couldn't help but smirk. She may not be 5ft 6 and a Mossad Officer anymore, but even at barely 3ft 2, she was still quite intimidating.

Standing at the door, Gibbs called, "Tony!"

"Yeah?" Tony's voice sounded muffled, as if he were quite a distance away.

"Come in here please," ordered Gibbs.

"Right now?" called back Tony.

"Yes!" answered Gibbs.

Hearing a rustle in the bushes towards the back fence, Gibbs watched as Tony parted the way and emerged from between the back fence and the large oak tree. Again, he was forced to smile. Tony obviously knew Ziva had been to see him, he was not looking quite as confident as he usually did. With his hands in his pockets, and his head hanging low, Tony slowly made his way towards the house.

Watching Tony meander towards him, Gibbs was suddenly struck by the realization that he could do something that other parents could only imagine. He could accurately visualize the adult Tony. He knew exactly what he would look like, his height, his facial features, the strength of his jaw. While he understood that things such as build and weight could fluctuate depending on circumstances, the rest he was sure about. It was, however, Tony's personality that Gibbs was most interested in. There were traits he had obviously inherited; his quick wit, the ability to charm his way out of trouble and his strong desire to protect those he loved. These were obvious even in the ten year old.

However, it was the other aspects of the adult Tony that Gibbs felt needed some adjusting. He had experienced little to no parental guidance since his mother had passed and the elite boarding college he had been shunted off to seemed to encourage the boys to use whatever means possible to survive the rigors of school. As a result, Tony was easily distracted, apt to playing the class clown, and sadly, had developed a lack of self respect, opening himself up to the frat party mentality he so often displayed. These were the parts of Tony's personality Gibbs hoped to change.

If he could convince Tony of his own self worth, help the boy to understand that he was respected and valued for the person he was today, teach him positive resilience and how to put his skills and talents to good use, then just maybe he could make a positive difference in this child's life. Gibbs knew he'd already made a good start. All Tony really needed was guidance and time, someone who was willing to go the distance with him and pull him up when he crossed the line. Not in the harsh, abusive way Senior had employed, but by modelling the expected behavior and making Tony responsible for his actions. Gibbs knew this put the onus back on him, but he was up for the challenge and Tony was worth every minute of his time.

"Yeah Dad?" said Tony as he finally made his way to Gibbs. As the boy looked up, Gibbs noticed the green eyes, which so often sparkled with mischief, were now expressing a little hesitancy regarding his fate.

"Come and sit down Tony," encouraged Gibbs as he led the boy to the kitchen table.

Once they were both seated, Gibbs began, "So, why are you annoying Ziva at the moment?"

"I'm not," replied Tony defensively. "We were playing tag and I was chasing her."

"Mmm, but what about when she stopped playing tag and asked you to stop chasing her?" asked Gibbs. He knew Tony would employ any amount of reasoning before admitting he was in the wrong.

"Well," he began, thinking of how he could best word his response so that his involvement didn't appear too incriminating. "I wasn't sure if she really meant no. She kept running?" he added hopefully, splaying out his hands and shrugging his shoulders.

"Tony, when someone tells you to stop, that's what they mean. You need to start respecting that," said Gibbs firmly. "So why did you continue annoying her?"

Tony shrugged. His head was pointed down and he was currently staring at his chewed finger nails.

"That's not an answer Bud," replied Gibbs. He leaned forward and lifted Tony's chin. When they were making eye contact, Gibbs repeated the question.

"I don't know," responded Tony, his voice slightly whiny. "I guess I was bored," he finished quietly, pulling out of Gibbs' grasp and looking down again.

Gibbs looked at the boy in front of him. Sun-bleached hair which stuck up in all directions, his favorite navy t-shirt now in dire need of being put out of its misery, and a pair of jeans which, judging by the inch gap around his ankles, indicated that a recent growth spurt had taken place. Gibbs knew this recent increase in annoying behavior was part and parcel of Tony's pre-pubescent hormones making their presence felt, but the boy still needed to know that it was unacceptable behavior. Having both reprimanded and punished Ziva on numerous occasions for lashing out and losing her temper, Gibbs needed Tony to realize that he was just as guilty as she was half the time.

He took a deep breath before continuing.

"Tony," he said patiently. "I know that you already know it's wrong to keep annoying Ziva the way you do. I have spoken to you about it, Mom has spoken to you about it. But, still, you continue to ignore us. I realize that she's much younger than you and often wants to do things you don't, but that doesn't give you the right to continue antagonizing her."

He watched as Tony slightly nodded his head in acknowledgment before continuing.

"You are old enough to be responsible for your own actions. If Ziva asks you to stop, you need to listen to her. You know she has a short fuse, and more often than not, she ends up in trouble because she's lost her temper, when really, you should have minded your own behavior first. Well, from now own, I'm going to make sure you start taking responsibility for the way you treat her."

Tony looked up for the first time since Gibbs had started the lecture.

"Are you going to spank me?" he asked, a note of fear in his voice.

"Tony, you're getting too old to be spanked all the time. There may still be occasions when you will find yourself over my knee, but on the whole, I think it's time we introduced a new consequence for you."

Tony's eyes widened with fear. Knowing the cruel and unusual punishments Senior often invented, he was terrified, wondering what his Dad was planning. He should have known though. His Dad wasn't Senior, and he would never truly hurt him.

"Don't look so worried, Bud," said Gibbs gently. "I'm talking about grounding."

Tony's shoulders slumped. "No Dad, please. Can't you just spank me instead?"

Gibbs smiled, "No, that's my point. You see spanking as a quick and easy way to be punished. It's not as effective for you anymore."

"Yeah it is," said Tony quickly. "It still hurts like the blazes."

"I'm sure it does," agreed Gibbs. "It's meant to. But whereas Ziva will try an avoid a spanking at all costs, you are beginning to weigh it up against the wrong doing to see whether it's worth it or not."

Tony blushed slightly and grinned.

"Yeah, I know Tony," said Gibbs sagely. "I was once eleven years old too. But, where my Dad turned to the belt as a deterrent, I think being grounded is the way to go for you. The fact that you dislike it so much is a good indication that it just may make you stop and think before you act."

"But grounding takes so long!" whined Tony. "Senior tried it a couple of times as well. I wasn't allowed to leave my room for two weeks!"

"Well that's ridiculous," said Gibbs suddenly, once again floored by the stupidity of Senior's parenting skills. "That's not what grounding is about and you certainly won't ever be confined to your room for two weeks. Grounding may mean a couple of hours in your bedroom, or you may be asked to do some extra chores instead of playing outside. Other times it will mean that privileges will be taken away. You may lose the DS for a day, or the right to watch TV or something like that."

Gibbs noticed that, while still not thrilled with the idea, Tony was certainly more accepting of these rules.

"Do you understand what I'm telling you?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Tony softly. "I'd still rather have the spanking though."

"Well, times are changing Bud, and you are growing up. It's time to start taking responsibility for your actions," said Gibbs firmly.

Sighing, Tony nodded his head. "Does that mean I'm grounded now?" he asked miserably.

"No," replied Gibbs. "You've only just been told of the changes. Now it's your chance to show me that you are mature enough to take on board what I have told you. And you can start that, by listening to your sister when she tells to stop annoying her. OK?"

"OK," answered Tony. He looked up and began tapping his foot nervously.

"So, is that it?" he asked hesitantly. "Can I go outside again?"

"Yes," replied Gibbs. "But remember what I told you. And if you start feeling bored again, bear in mind that I have quite a list of things you can do. For starters, there's a patch of garden out front that needs weeding."

"I hate gardening!" moaned Tony.

"I know," answered Gibbs pointedly. "So let's not get bored again and you won't have to worry about it."

"Yes Sir," grumbled Tony. And, standing up, he shoved his hands in his pockets again and turned to head outside.

Gibbs smiled. He knew Tony was going through a difficult time. Hormones were racing around his body; his mouth and brain were often disconnected. Half the time he wanted to be treated as an adult and the other half he still wanted to be a little boy. But, as Gibbs reflected, everyone had to go through it. He just needed to balance the fine line between what to let slip and what needed checking.

Just last night he and Jen had discussed Tony after a particularly challenging evening. Flouting authority at every turn, Tony had continually sassed his mother, until, after the third warning, Jenny had finally snapped and had sent him off to bed at eight o'clock with a stinging smack to his backside. They had decided then that the recent spurt in smart ass responses, ignoring authority and generally acting out was beginning to become a problem and needed dealing with. Having discussed the effectiveness of spanking and the fact that it no longer seemed to be a strong deterrent for Tony, he and Jenny had concluded that it was time to implement grounding for their soon to be eleven year old. And, judging by Tony's response this afternoon, Gibbs felt they had made the right decision.

****NCIS****

By 9.10 that evening, Jenny and Gibbs were finally able to relax together before they were invaded by the adult half of their family in twenty minutes.

Handing Jenny a coffee, Gibbs sat down on the sofa next to her and the pair of them sat in silence for a couple of minutes, enjoying the peace they so rarely had.

"I'll be glad when Douglas' wife arrives," said Gibbs, yawning loudly before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Yeah, me too," added Jenny, yawning as well. "I think he's cutting that second tooth at the moment. He felt quite warm when I put him to bed earlier. If he wakes up we may need to give him some of that baby paracetamol."

"Might get Ducky to have a look if he wakes, but yeah," agreed Gibbs, putting his feet up on the coffee table. "I think he's teething as well. If the red cheeks and drooling is anything to go by,"

Jenny laughed and took another sip of her coffee. Turning her body sideways, she lifted her legs so they were resting on Gibbs' lap, and laid her head into the back cushion of the sofa closing her eyes.

Gibbs nudged her gently.

"Can't sleep yet babe," he said softly. "The hoards will soon be arriving."

"Just five minutes," she whined, keeping her eyes closed.

She felt Gibbs take the hot coffee from her hands, and she snuggled down further, half leaning on his shoulder. Just as she felt her body begin to relax, a loud cry came from upstairs.

"Oh no," she groaned, opening her eyes and looking at Gibbs.

"I'll get him," said Gibbs, patting her legs so she would lift them, allowing him to slide out from under her.

As Gibbs left, she stretched out on her stomach along the sofa, hoping to catch a few minutes sleep before everyone arrived. She must have actually dozed, because the next thing she heard was Gibbs speaking to Ducky.

"I think she's just tired Duck. It's been a bit stressful of late with everything that's happening."

"I'm fine," Jenny grumbled, shifting slightly so she could see the two men hovering over her.

"Well, as long as you don't overdo things my dear," said Ducky sternly. "You don't want to end up where you were a few weeks ago."

"Ducky, don't fuss," she said impatiently, as she slowly sat up and rubbed at her eyes. "I'm fine. It's like Jethro said, it's been a stressful couple of days and Douglas is teething at the moment so we're not getting much sleep."

"Ahh, yes," said Ducky, looking around. "Where is the little fellow?"

"Well, he should be in bed," said Gibbs, rolling his eyes. "But he's in the kitchen with Abby."

"Oh God, is Abby here too?" said Jenny suddenly. She looked accusingly at Gibbs. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"You looked so cute and peaceful sleeping there, I didn't have the heart," he said in a teasing tone.

Standing up, she patted him on the cheek, before kissing him quickly and saying, "Next time, wake me up, OK?"

As Jenny headed in the kitchen to say hi to Abby, Tim entered through the front door. Seeing Gibbs and Ducky standing in the living room, he said, "Sorry I'm late, but I just got off the phone with McDonald. Mrs Redding is catching the next flight out of Charles de Gaulle. She will be coming over Friday morning to pick up Douglas."

"That's great news Tim," replied Gibbs. "I was hoping she'd get here before Tony's birthday. And, as much as I've enjoyed having Douglas for a few days, I'll be more than happy to pass him back."

"What's that?" asked Jenny as she entered the living room followed by Abby who was carrying Douglas on her hip.

"Mrs Redding will be picking up Douglas on Friday morning," repeated Gibbs, smiling when he saw the look of relief that crossed Jenny's face.

"Aww," cooed Abby, bouncing the baby on her hip. "Anyone'd think you've been difficult to have."

"Abby, you are more than welcome to take him home for the next two nights," offered Gibbs seriously. "He's currently teething, so don't plan on getting a lot of sleep."

"Er, that's OK Bossman," replied Abby quickly. "You can have him. After all, I don't have any experience with babies."

"Good way to learn?" quipped Jenny.

"Nah, I'm good," said Abby. She lifted Douglas up and began wiggling him above her head. "I'll just keep being Aunty Abby for now."

"Yeah well, Aunty Abby may want to stop doing that before she ends up with a mouthful of puke," suggested Gibbs, smirking slightly.

Quickly bringing Douglas down so that he was once again on her hip, Abby said, "See, what do I know about babies!"

She sniffed slightly then suddenly scrunched up her nose.

"Actually, there is one thing I do know about babies," she said, holding Douglas out in front of her and handing him to Gibbs. "And that's when it's time to hand them back."

She made sure Gibbs had a hold of the infant before backing up quickly and taking a seat in one of the arm chairs.

"Thanks Abbs," retorted Gibbs, before heading back upstairs to change Douglas once again.

When everyone was finally settled and Douglas was happily sitting on Tim's knee chewing the corner of a plastic baby book, Gibbs leaned forward and began.

"Well, as you are all aware, circumstances have changed over the past couple of days. What we thought was only for two years, has now become a lifetime commitment. Now, Jen and I want you all to know, that we are fine with that. We have no problems at all at being full time parents. Our only concern is keeping this away from-"

"Jethro."

At the sound of Jenny's voice, Gibbs immediately turned to her, wondering why she had suddenly interrupted him. Seeing her nod towards the top of the stairs, Gibbs looked up to see a little figure in purple pyjamas peeking through the banister.

"Ziva Gibbs!" he growled. "Why are you out of bed?"

Realizing she'd been caught, Ziva stood up and slowly made her way down the top four steps before stopping and saying, "Douglas is out of bed."

"Douglas is a baby. He has a totally different sleep pattern to you," replied Gibbs. "Now I'll ask again, why are you out of bed, young lady?"

Giving everyone her best coy look, Ziva feigned thinking time as she managed to make it down two more steps before saying, "I was thirsty and thought I'd come and get a glass of water."

"You could have poured a drink from the bathroom taps," said Gibbs, not believing her for an instant.

"The water tastes funny from the bathroom," she argued, sneaking in another step.

"She's right about that," piped up Abby, "Bathroom water always tastes…"

She didn't finish her sentence. From the glare she was currently receiving from Gibbs, Abby felt it was in her best interest to cease all comments immediately.

Giving his attention back to the little miss, who was now only four steps from the bottom, Gibbs said, "There is nothing wrong with the water in the bathroom. It comes from the exact same place as the water in the kitchen."

"But I want some water from the fridge," said Ziva, crossing her right leg over her left and managing to gain another step closer to the floor.

Gibbs suddenly stood up and Ziva quickly backtracked two steps.

"I'm going to count to three Ziva," said Gibbs calmly, "And if you are not on your way to bed by the time I get to three, I'll come up there and give you a spanking. One."

"But it's not fair Daddy," whined Ziva, stamping her foot. "Douglas gets to stay up."

Gibbs took a step closer to the stairs and Ziva backtracked three more.

"Two," he said, drawing out the word.

Realizing that he meant business, Ziva let out a loud wail before turning around and stomping up the stairs crying, "It's not fair!"

Just to make sure she continued on to her room, Gibbs took the first two steps with a heavy tread. Turning around and gasping, Ziva quickened her pace and shouted, "OK, OK, I'm going!"

Turning around, Gibbs rolled his eyes at the amused onlookers and made his way back to the sofa. Just as he sat down, there came a loud slam from upstairs.

"If she wakes Tony," growled Gibbs, looking at Jenny.

She won't," said Jenny calmly. "That boy can sleep through a tornado."

As everybody smiled politely at the little joke, Gibbs took a breath and continued where he'd left off.

"So, as I was saying, keeping this from Eli and DiNozzo Senior is going to be our hardest challenge."

He settled back into the sofa and collected his thoughts again. He spoke quietly now, knowing that Ziva was still awake. While he had no doubt the little girl was in her room, he didn't want to run any risk of her overhearing what he and Jenny had planned.

"Jen and I decided that after Tony's birthday, Ziva, Tony and I will head down to Stillwater and visit my Dad. I don't want us around when the proverbial hits the fan. During that time, Jen will put out a memo to all agencies stating that Tony and Ziva have been listed as missing, following the crash of the light air craft they had chartered to take them from Columbia to Puerto Rico. A week later, despite extensive searching of the Caribbean Sea, Jen will log them in as still missing, presumed dead, stating that no sign of wreckage or bodies had been sited during any of the searches.

"We have no doubts what so ever, that Eli and DiNozzo Senior will come to DC wanting answers and probably wanting to see me. At which point, Jen will tell them that I immediately joined in with the searches and, when it became obviously that there was no hope of finding them alive, I became overcome with grief, and decided to disappear off the radar, choosing to live with an old buddy in Mexico, whereabouts unknown."

Leaning forward again, Gibbs concluded, "Well, that's the plan. Whether it works or not, is yet to be seen. Once Eli and DiNozzo Senior have returned to their homes, I'll come back here and hopefully, we can continue as normal."

He looked up at the faces around him, seeing in their eyes a mixture of shock, doubt and possibly even pity.

"I know it's a long shot," admitted Gibbs. "But it's the best we have at the moment. Our main aim is to keep those two," he pointed up the stairs, "safe."

Seeing a general consensus of nodding and murmured words of agreement, Gibbs continued. "Now I've asked Abby to come up with completely new identities and back stories for both Tony and Ziva. Seeing as they are permanently this way, they will have to be enrolled in school and other social activities. I don't want to see them cooped up at home with a tutor. That would just send them both crazy and probably me and Jen along with them," he added, laughing slightly.

"So Abby," he said, forcing a cheerfulness he didn't quite feel. "The floor is yours. Fill us in with what you've got."

"OK," said Abby, suddenly standing up and taking charge. She reached down into a large bag she had dumped on the floor next to her chair. Rummaging through, she pulled out a handful of papers and began handing them out to everyone, much like a teacher handing out a set of tests to her students.

"For those of you who are visual learners, I have taken the liberty to make a printed copy of everything I have created. Please read it and memorize. I shall be collecting them back at the end of the evening so they can be destroyed. We don't want any of these little gems finding their way into to the wrong hands."

Once she could see each person had a copy, Abby sat down again and directed everyone to look at the page in front of them.

"Right," she began. "All you need to know is on this sheet of paper. It tells you when each child was born, where they were born, and how they eventually came to live here in DC. So," she said, making sure she had everyone's undivided attention. "Tony and Ziva, this is your life!"

"Our story begins with Gunnery Sergeant Mark Phillips. He served with Gibbs during Desert Storm where they became the best of friends."

Gibbs eyed Jenny and, smirking, gave her a knowing look which wasn't missed by Abby.

"Gibbs!" she admonished. "You have to take this seriously!"

"I am Abbs," defended Gibbs, embarrassed at being caught out like a naughty school boy. "Gunnery Sergeant Mark Philips, great mate, served together during Desert Storm. Good bloke," Gibbs elaborated. "Saved my life a couple of times."

Seeing the scowl still evident on Abby's face, Jenny elbowed Gibbs in the side and whispered, "Behave!"

Straightening up, Gibbs looked intently at his piece of paper. "Sorry Abbs," he said quietly. "Please continue."

"Thank you," said Abby, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, Mark and Gibbs kept in contact over the years and, when Mark married Alice Webber in 1994, Gibbs was best man at their wedding. Two years later, on July 9th 1996, Alice gave birth to a boy and they named him Anthony Daniel, naming Gibbs as his Godfather.

Then, in July 2003, Mark Phillips was given a peace keeping assignment in Israel. Taking both Alice and Tony, they set up a home in Jerusalem and befriended a young widowed mother, named Ashira, who became their housekeeper. Her 20 month olf daughter, Ziva, was born on the 12th of November 2001. When Ashira was killed in February of 2005, caught in a cross fire of enemy fighting, Mark and Alice adopted three year old Ziva and she legally became Ziva Ashira Phillips."

At this point Abby stopped and looked over at Gibbs and Jenny.

"Now I know Ziva doesn't have a middle name, but for added security, I have given her one," she explained.

"That's fine Abbs," said Gibbs, nodding his head in approval.

"So," continued Abby. "Now a family of four, the Phillips made sure to contact Gibbs and have their wills changed, naming Gibbs as the legal guardian to Tony and Ziva should anything happen to them. Sadly in May of this year, 2007, while Tony and Ziva were staying with some neighbors, Mark and Alice were killed when the roof of the market place they were shopping in fell on them, following an attack from a suicide bomber. When Gibbs was informed of their deaths, he gladly accepted the roll of guardian and traveled to Jerusalem where he picked up Tony and Ziva and brought them back to DC."

Abby took a deep breath and, looking around, asked, "Any questions?"

She was hit with stunned silence.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "Did I forget something?"

"No Abbs," said Gibbs, still getting his head around the wealth of information. "You have been very thorough."

He looked up at her and smiled.

"Great job!" he praised.

Relieved, Abby grinned back, bouncing slightly in her chair. She then bent over the side and rummaged through her bag again pulling out a manila folder containing a collection of papers. She leaned across the coffee table and passed it to Gibbs.

"In there," she said, as Gibbs opened the folder. "You'll find birth certificates for both Tony and Ziva, current passports, a certified copy of the Will signed by Mark and Alice Phillips, a certified copy of the official adoption papers making Tony and Ziva legally yours, and a certified copy of the papers stating their name change to Anthony Daniel Gibbs and Ziva Ashira Gibbs."

Sinking back in her chair, Abby sighed.

"I think that's everything," she said.

"Wow Abby," commented Gibbs, still thumbing through the papers. "I said to Fornell you would have to create a back story even I would believe and I think you did it."

He looked up at her and hoped she could see the pride in his eyes.

"Thank you Abby, this is great work," he said sincerely.

"You're most welcome Gibbs," she replied, her heart dancing with pleasure at the high praise.

"And," she added, a glimpse of mischief suddenly crossing her face. "Should you and the Director wish to say... formalize your relationship, I can easily have everything changed so that the kids are in both your names."

"Thank you Abby," replied Gibbs, giving her a slight warning glare. Only Abby, he thought shaking his head.

"Just saying," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

As everyone continued to look over the piece of paper Abby had given them, desperately trying to memorize the wealth of information, Gibbs stood. Stretching, he looked around and asked, "Who's for coffee?"

With heads still bent over their paper, Tim and Jenny raised their hands, while Ducky said distractedly, "Er, tea for me please Jethro."

Half an hour later, with empty mugs now sitting on the coffee table, and sheets once again collected by Abby, the little group stood and began to say goodbye.

"Thanks for letting me put Douglas to bed," said Abby as she hugged first Jenny, then Gibbs.

"No problem," said Gibbs. "As I said earlier, you're welcome to take him home for a couple of days."

Choosing not to respond, Abby simply smiled then bent to gather her bag.

"Thanks again," said Gibbs, kissing her tenderly on the cheek. "For everything,"

"My pleasure Gibbs," she said sincerely, before heading out the door.

Shaking Tim's hand, Gibbs said, "I appreciate everything you've been doing to find Douglas' family."

"Anytime Boss," replied Tim, smiling at Jenny before leaving to catch up with Abby.

"Well Jethro," began Ducky, shaking the younger man's hand and slapping him on the shoulder. "Big night."

"Yeah, sure was," agreed Gibbs. "Now begins the next stage of living the lie," he added almost cynically.

"Don't think of it like that my friend," said Ducky. "Think of it as a means of keeping your children safe."

"True Duck," replied Gibbs, nodding his head. "And thanks for looking at Douglas. I'll get some of that teething gel tomorrow."

"Not a problem Jethro. Good night my dear," said Ducky, nodding at Jenny. "I hope you are able to get some much needed rest tonight."

"Thanks Ducky," replied Jenny, leaning into Gibbs who instinctively wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

After watching Ducky walk safely to his Morgan, Gibbs closed the door and looked at Jenny.

"Well," he said. "This is an undercover mission I wasn't expecting."

"Hmmm," agreed Jenny leaning her head onto his chest. "Just be thankful we don't have to travel to Paris this time."

"Aw," he whined. "I had fun in Paris."

"Ah Jethro," she laughed, slapping him softly on the chest and pushing herself away from him.

Looking over towards the array of dirty cups sitting on the coffee table, Jenny groaned.

"Leave 'em Jen," said Gibbs, flicking off the living room light. "I've already checked the kitchen and locked everything up. The cups can wait until the morning. Let's just go to bed."

"Yep," she agreed. "I am far too tired to argue tonight." And, putting her arm around Gibbs waist, she allowed him to lead her up the stairs.


	7. The Wayward Mouth

**Quick note - I'm ignoring the whole 'Heartland' episode. In my story Gibbs and his Father have already sorted out their differences regarding Jackson bringing a 'date' to the funeral. **

**Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews.**

**Enjoy**

Chapter 7 - The Wayward Mouth

When the alarm sounded at 6.00am Thursday morning, Jenny took a moment to comprehend what it was. When realization dawned, she flung out her arm and flicked off the annoying sound. Turning over, she squinted to see if Gibbs was awake. Noticing he was lying on his back and just beginning to stir as well, she nuzzled into his side, laying her hand on his chest.

"Did you hear that?" she said sleepily, rubbing along his chest with her fingers.

"What, that incessant buzzing?" he replied sarcastically, his eyes still closed.

"Yeah," she acknowledged. "Do you know what that means?"

"We have to get up?" he quipped.

Laughing lightly, Jenny slapped him softly on the chest.

"Very droll," she said. "No, it means we did didn't get a visitor through the night, unless you took her to bed without waking me."

Opening his eyes, Gibbs turned to look at Jenny.

"Hey you're right," he said. "Maybe it's finally working."

Since returning from the lake cottage, Gibbs and Jenny had made a concerted effort to train Ziva to stay in her own bed at night. In the beginning, it took all their will power to continue. When Ziva would crawl into their bed, usually around three in the morning, they would wait for her to fall asleep then carry her back to her own bed. Inevitably, Ziva would wake again and the cycle would continue, sometimes five or six times a night.

That first week had been a living hell for the three of them. Gibbs and Jenny found themselves going to bed just after Tony at nine o'clock each night, to ensure they were getting at least five hours of uninterrupted sleep. Ziva was not overly keen to help out either. With her stubbornness and iron will, she made no effort to stay in her own bed, insisting that she couldn't sleep. Yet, after only two or three minutes of Gibbs rubbing her back, she was sound asleep and carted back to her room.

Finally, after two weeks of consistency and sheer determinedness on Gibbs and Jenny's part, they had managed to get Ziva to stay in her own bed until about 5.00am. It still meant taking her back to bed a couple of times between five and six in the morning, but at least they were now enjoying an extra two hours of uninterrupted sleep. They also found, that while Jenny still set the alarm each weeknight, with the early morning escapades of their five year old, they never actually needed the alarm to wake them at six.

Unfortunately though, with the arrival of Douglas nearly a week ago, the routine had once again been shattered, and Gibbs and Jenny were finding, not only a little visitor from about 3.00am onwards, but regular wake up calls from a cranky, teething six month old as well. So, when the alarm was the first thing to assault their ears that morning, they were, to say the least, surprised.

"Actually, I didn't hear Douglas last night either," said Jenny.

Suddenly concerned for the infant's welfare, she sat up and crawled forward a couple of paces to look into the porta-cot positioned on the floor at the end of their bed.

"He's probably still doped up on the paracetamol we gave him last night," replied Gibbs, chuckling to himself.

"Ahh, Jethro?" Jenny's voice held a vague tinge of amusement.

"What?" he said, sitting up and squinting towards the porta-cot.

"You've gotta see this," she said, turning around and looking at him. "Come closer."

Also leaning forward and crawling a couple of feet across the bed, Gibbs was soon kneeling next to Jenny as the pair of them peered into the porta cot.

Lying together, snuggled under the cot blanket, were Ziva and Douglas.

"Oh geez," said Gibbs, shaking his head in disbelief. "She must have got sick of us taking her back to bed and figured she could bunk in with Douglas."

"They look so cute," exclaimed Jenny. She quickly turned around and stretched out for her phone sitting on the night stand. Turning back and laying out on her stomach, she took a couple of quick snaps of the two slumbering peacefully in the cot.

Placing the phone next to her on the bed, Jenny rested her chin in her hands and watched the two sleeping cherubs. "There's something special about sleeping children," she said, sighing deeply.

"Yeah, it's called peace and quiet," retorted the ever practical Gibbs. "Come on," he said, lightly smacking her bottom. "You need to get up."

"Ugh," groaned Jenny, collapsing face down on the bed.

Crawling over her, so that his knees were either side of Jenny's hips, Gibbs began nuzzling into her neck, laying light kisses on her skin.

"Augh! Don't!" she squealed softly. "You know I hate that, it tickles!"

"Yeah I know," he said teasingly. "Come on, up!"

He crawled off her, allowing Jenny to sit up. She rubbed at her eyes then ran her fingers through her hair.

"Ok," she said yawning. "I'm up."

Standing up, she collected a few things before heading into the shower, while Gibbs pulled on a pair of sweat pants, an old t-shirt and headed downstairs to begin breakfast.

As Jenny emerged from the en-suite about ten minutes later, she noticed Ziva and Douglas were both awake. Still in the cot, they were sitting up while Ziva entertained the baby with one of his favorite plastic books. Having heard the story a couple of times yesterday, she was able to read it from memory.

"Good morning," greeted Jenny as she sat on the end of the bed. Reaching into the cot, she pulled out Ziva and placed her on her lap with Ziva facing her. "Did you decide to sleep with Douglas last night," she said, brushing Ziva's hair back.

"Yep," said Ziva. "I didn't want to go back to bed, so I climbed in here. It's actually quite comfortable in there," she added looking back into the cot.

"Is it?" replied Jenny, smiling at her daughter's observations. "You weren't too squished?"

"Nope!" said Ziva shaking her head. "I fitted real good Mommy! And Douglas doesn't wriggle too much either."

Laughing, Jenny stood up, lifting Ziva with her. Seeing as Douglas only had one more night with them, she decided there wasn't much point in telling Ziva not to climb in there again. The novelty would soon wear off and she knew Ziva was only doing it because Douglas was around. Ordinarily she was a child eager to grow up.

"Well then," she said, kissing Ziva on the cheek. "How about you head downstairs and have some breakfast. I'll just quickly change Douglas and I'll be down in a minute."

"OK Mommy," said Ziva cheerfully as she scrambled to get down. Once on the floor, she skipped out of the room and down the stairs.

Just as Jenny finished dressing Douglas, she heard Tony flushing the toilet and washing his hands. Lifting Douglas onto her hip, she stood outside her bedroom door and waited for him to join her. She smiled as he exited the bathroom and looked up to see her standing there.

"Morning Baby," she greeted, putting her arm around his shoulder and kissing his head. "How did you sleep?"

"Good," he replied, giving her a quick one handed hug before drawing his attention to Douglas.

"Hey Douglas," he said, tickling the baby's knee. "Do you stink? Hey, do you stink?" He spoke to Douglas using the classic baby talk tone.

"No," replied Jenny. "He's been changed and dressed and is ready to start the day. Unlike you," she added smiling.

She stroked back his wayward hair which was sticking up in all directions.

"You need a hair cut Mister," she proclaimed before hoisting Douglas on her hip again and heading down stairs with Tony following her.

When they arrived in the kitchen, Jenny sat Douglas in his high chair. Gibbs pulled a bib over the baby's head before placing a bowl of pureed fruit and a baby's bottle filled with water in front of him. Douglas immediately grabbed the bottle of water and began sucking enthusiastically.

"You thirsty Champ?" commented Gibbs holding the bottle slightly to give it more support.

"I'm thirsty too Daddy," said Ziva, grabbing her glass and finishing all her juice in one go.

"You sure are," replied Gibbs. As Ziva placed the empty glass on the table in front of her, Jenny and Gibbs exchanged a smile before Jenny refilled the glass. They were both looking forward to life getting back to normal once Douglas was back with his family.

As everyone sat around the table eating breakfast, Ziva suddenly said, "Why was everyone here last night?"

Tony looked up from his cereal.

"When?" he asked.

"Last night," repeated Ziva. "There was Abby, Timmy and Ducky. They were all in the living room talking."

"How do you know?" said Tony. "Did you get to stay up?"

Turning to his parents, he said accusingly, "How come I didn't get to stay up?"

"No one got to stay up," growled Gibbs, standing up and putting Douglas' bottle of formula into the microwave. Having managed to feed the baby most of the fruit, he scraped out the remainder and popped it into his mouth before putting the empty bowl in the sink.

"Douglas did," added Ziva sulkily.

Giving her a warning look, Gibbs watched as Ziva looked down and took another mouthful of cereal.

Hoping that was the end to the conversation, Gibbs waited for the 'ding' before taking the bottle out, giving it a quick shake and testing the temperature. He had just managed to get Douglas settled in his arms and sucking on the bottle when Ziva said again, "So, why was everyone here last night?"

"And again," replied Tony sarcastically. "How do you know?"

"Ugh Tony!" exclaimed Jenny, irritated by the circling conversation.

She took a deep breath before saying, "Last night we had a meeting about Douglas and what was going to happen with him. Tim only received the information late, so we called everyone around to sort things through. Ziva didn't get to stay up. She woke up and decided to come down stairs, but was very quickly told to get back to bed. OK?" she added looking pointedly at Tony.

He shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "Yeah, I guess."

"Actually, that reminds me young lady," said Gibbs, looking sternly at Ziva. "Do not slam your bedroom door please. It loosens the hinges and can damage the frame."

"When did she do that?" asked Tony.

Tony's latest annoying habit was to question and argue about everything. As much as it was frustrating both Jenny and Gibbs, they tried their best to ignore his often flippant tone and answer his questions as best they could.

"Last night," answered Gibbs. "When I sent her back to bed."

"I didn't hear it," said Tony.

"Well, no Tony," replied Gibbs, far more patiently than he thought possible. "That would be because you were asleep."

Tony shrugged again with an air of arrogance and went back to eating his cereal. "So, what's happening with Douglas?" he asked, chewing his current mouthful.

"Well," began Gibbs, shifting the infant in his arms so that the bottle was easier for Douglas to grasp and finish the last of the formula. "Tim managed to locate his family and they are coming to pick him up tomorrow morning. Mom's taking the day off so we can all be here to say goodbye."

Tony nodded and took another mouthful.

"But why did you need to call everyone around for that?" asked Ziva suspiciously. "That only took you five seconds to tell us."

Glancing quickly at each other, Jenny and Gibbs silently signaled before Jenny said, "Well, there was something else we had to talk about."

Tony and Ziva looked up from their cereal bowls.

Jenny smiled then said, "Daddy and I have a bit of a surprise for you both but we don't want to tell you until after Douglas has gone home as we want it to be just us."

"What's the surprise?" asked Ziva excitedly.

"If they told us that, stupid, it wouldn't be a surprise," said Tony in exasperation.

"I'm not stupid, you are!" yelled Ziva.

"Hey!" growled Gibbs. "No one's stupid. But as Tony said, if we told you now it wouldn't be a surprise."

"Yes it would," argued Ziva. "It would be a surprise now."

Amazed at Ziva's quick reasoning, Gibbs laughed then said, "No. We will tell you tomorrow when Douglas has been picked up. Not before, so quit asking."

He looked sternly at the two children.

"But Daddy…"

"No Ziva! Now I mean it. Don't keep asking or you'll find yourself spending time in your bedroom. Same goes for you Tony," he added, looking over at his son.

"I didn't say anything?" snapped Tony. "It was Ziva who was asking."

"I know that Tony," replied Gibbs, again sounding a lot calmer than he felt. "I was just letting you know."

"Well at least wait until I've done something before growling at me, sheesh!" yelled Tony, slamming his spoon into his cereal.

Ziva suddenly froze, her spoon halfway to her mouth. Hey eyes widened in shock, before she gasped, "Tony!"

Handing Douglas over to Jenny, Gibbs stood and said quietly, "Tony, with me please."

As Tony scraped back his chair, he swallowed hard. He had no idea where that had come from, but he knew he was in a mountain of trouble. No one spoke to his Dad like that and got away with it. Trying to appear a lot braver than he felt, Tony raised his head and walked into the living room.

"Tony's in big trouble now," said Ziva, looking up at Jenny. "Daddy's gonna give him such a spanking."

"You just concentrate on eating your breakfast young lady and let Daddy deal with Tony," replied Jenny. Feeling Douglas squirm in her arms, she looked down and noticed he had finished the bottle. Standing up, she carried him into the living room before placing him in the play pen which contained many of his toys. Turning back to the kitchen she all but slammed into Ziva.

"Ziva!" she exclaimed. "I nearly knocked you over."

"Where's Tony and Daddy?" Ziva asked, peering around Jenny to see into the living room.

"Probably up in Tony's bedroom," replied Jenny. She took hold of Ziva's shoulders and spun her around so she was facing the kitchen again. "Eat!" she said, emphasizing the word with a quick swat to Ziva's bottom.

As Ziva made her way back to the table, Jenny poured herself a cup of coffee. She knew Tony deserved whatever Gibbs dealt out. This was the very thing they had discussed the other night. Tony's attitude, his constant arguing, the sassing, all of it was testing them both to the limit, but even Jenny didn't think Tony would ever speak like that to his father. Realizing now was not the time to go upstairs and finish getting ready, Jenny took her coffee into the living room and sat where she could keep an eye on both Ziva and Douglas.

Having walked into the living-room, Tony looked up and saw his father standing there.

"I'm sorry D-Dad," Tony began, fear making his voice crack slightly. "I didn't mean it, I promise."

"Upstairs," was all Gibbs said in reply.

Tony swallowed again. He certainly wasn't about to start arguing now. Turning slightly, he passed his Dad and walked up the stairs, feeling like one who was heading to the gallows.

As he reached his room, he pushed open the door and sat on the bed. Gibbs was right behind him.

Grabbing the chair from Tony's desk, Gibbs placed it in front of Tony and sat down.

Again, Tony tried, "I'm really sorry Dad. I know I should never speak to you that way."

"No, you shouldn't Tony," agreed Gibbs, leaning forward and resting his forearms on his knees. "In fact you shouldn't speak that way to anyone."

When Tony nodded, Gibbs continued. "This is exactly what I was talking about yesterday. The way you have been speaking to people lately is not acceptable. Now, I was not accusing you of doing anything just then in the kitchen. I was merely warning you and explaining what would happen should you continue to ask."

"I'm sorry Dad," said Tony again, his eyes filling with tears. "I don't know what's going on lately. I feel so yuck inside, like I want to yell at someone or hit someone. I feel like everyone's picking on me all the time and I just want to be left alone." Tears were now escaping onto Tony's cheeks and he angrily brushed them away.

Gibbs rested one hand on Tony's knee.

"Tony, you're feeling this way because you're beginning to grow up. When boys and girls reach a certain age, even before their bodies begin to change into men and women, something called hormones start being released from the glands that are in our bodies. You know when you get a big fright and suddenly you want to run and your heart starts beating really fast?"

"Yeah," said Tony quietly.

"Well that's because a hormone has been released. It's called adrenalin," explained Gibbs. "Our body is full of glands that release many different hormones that help to keep us alive as well as often controlling our moods. Now, when you hit puberty…"

Tony suddenly blushed and squirmed on the bed. He'd heard about puberty before but it had always been something that seemed rude. He certainly wasn't expecting to be talking about that now.

"…your body releases a whole new set of hormones. These hormones help your body to grow and change so that you stop looking like a boy and begin to look like a man. The problem is Tony, all these hormones can also affect your moods. One in particular, called testosterone, can have you feeling angry and frustrated. You want to argue all the time and prove that you're right and, sometimes, you end up doing or saying something that you later regret."

"Like the way I just spoke to you," said Tony.

"Yep, like that," said Gibbs, patting Tony's knee. "A part of growing up is learning self control. Learning that you're not always right and that everyone, no matter who they are, deserves to be treated with respect. I'm not saying you have to like every person you meet, but you do need to realize that every person should be treated the same way you would like to be treated. Now I know you wouldn't like it if I spoke to you the way you just spoke to me. It would hurt your feelings and probably make you angry, and I won't put up with you speaking that way to anyone either."

Again Tony nodded his head in acknowledgement. He knew the lecture was drawing to a close and soon his fate would be sealed.

"So," said Gibbs lifting Tony's chin. "Do you remember what we talked about yesterday?"

Tony thought for a second then said, "About being grounded?"

"Yes," replied Gibbs.

"But I thought you'd want to spank me for this?" said Tony. In fact, he'd been positive he'd end up over his Dad's knee for this one.

Gibbs shook his head.

"As I said to you yesterday, you're growing up and spankings aren't always appropriate anymore. Sure, I could put you over my knee, but in an hour or so I would question just how much of a deterrent it had been. Whereas, an hour in here to think about what I've said and how you can you can change your behavior might have more of an impact."

Tony's shoulders slumped. As much as he had been dreading the spanking, the thought of having to sit in his room for a whole hour felt far worse.

"A whole hour?" he asked.

"Yes Tony," said Gibbs firmly. "Be thankful. I was going to make it two!"

Tony's eyes widened at the thought.

"So, do I just sit on my bed?" he asked, unsure of what he was exactly meant to do.

"If you want," replied Gibbs. "Sometimes, I might ask you to write something for me, but today I'll leave it up to you what you do. You can either lie on your bed, or you can read, but you're not to play with any toys and I'll be taking the DS away."

Tony nodded. It still didn't sound like much fun but, if he could at least read, the hour might be somewhat bearable.

As Gibbs stood up, Tony suddenly asked, "You said sometimes you'll ask me to write something. What did you mean?"

"Sometimes, I'll ask you to write what you did that was wrong and what you can do next time to avoid being grounded," explained Gibbs. "But today, I'll just be asking you that when I come and see you in an hour and you can just tell me."

Again Tony nodded.

"Dad?"

"Yes Tony," answered Gibbs.

"How come you don't get mad?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" replied Gibbs.

"Well, I thought you'd be really, really angry at me for speaking to you that way. I thought you'd yell at me and really spank me hard, but you didn't. We just…talked?" finished Tony, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

"Tony, I don't see the point in doing a lot of yelling when it comes to kids. You knew you had done something wrong, and believe me when I say, I was not impressed with you," said Gibbs sternly. "But yelling and screaming doesn't serve any purpose. It either makes you feel angry or it makes you feel worthless, and neither of those things are what I want for you. Plus, I think it's important that you learn through example. If you know that I can control my temper and not lash out at people, then hopefully you will want to do the same thing."

Tony stepped forward and put his arms around his Dad's waist.

"Dad," he said, burying his head in Gibbs' chest. "I do want to be just like you."

"Thanks Bud," said Gibbs, stroking Tony's head. "All I want is for you to do the best you can and for you to be proud of who you are."

Pulling away, Gibbs took the DS off Tony's night stand before opening the door. "I'll see you in an hour," he said, before exiting and closing the door quietly behind him.

Standing on the landing, Gibbs took a deep breath. He had to admit, from a parental point of view, grounding Tony was a lot easier than spanking him. He only hoped that Tony would use the time to reflect on his behavior. By taking the time now to pull Tony in line, Gibbs hoped he would set the trend for Tony's adult life.

As he came down the stairs, he saw Jenny and Ziva sitting on the sofa with Douglas. Jenny was currently reading a story to Ziva while Douglas banged his teething ring on Jenny's leg.

"Hey," she said, looking up at him and smiling.

"Is Tony OK, Daddy?" asked Ziva. "Only I can't hear him crying. He's still breathing isn't he?"

"Zi-va!" exclaimed Gibbs. "Of course he's still breathing. Tony is fine."

"Then why isn't he crying? I bet you spanked him really hard for speaking like that," she said.

Putting the DS on the coffee table and sitting down, Gibbs lifted Ziva onto his lap. Before he could begin talking though, Jenny stood and, placing Douglas in the playpen, she said quietly, "I need to finish getting ready. I'm already late for work."

"Sorry Hon," said Gibbs, taking her hand and rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.

"No, that's fine. I wanted to…give you space," she said, indicating Ziva with her eyes.

"Yeah, thanks, much appreciated," he said.

Lifting his hand to her mouth and kissing it softly, Jenny let go and headed up the stairs.

Turning his attention back to his daughter, Gibbs said, "Tony isn't crying Ziva because I didn't spank him."

"You didn't?"

He couldn't help but smirk at the outraged shock in her voice. As much as Ziva didn't like to think her brother had been punished, she didn't want to think he'd gotten away with anything either.

"Ziva, that doesn't mean that I didn't punish Tony. Tony has been grounded to his room for an hour," Gibbs explained.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"It means that for the next hour, Tony is not allowed to leave his bedroom, he's not allowed to play with any toys and he's not allowed to play on the DS."

"What can he do?" asked Ziva.

"He can lie on his bed, or read," replied Gibbs.

"Well, that doesn't sound like much of a punishment," said Ziva scornfully. "Can I be grounded next time instead of getting a spanking?"

Unable to stop himself, Gibbs laughed.

"Everyone's different honey," he explained. "For Tony, being confined to his room for an hour is more of a punishment than being spanked. Whereas for you, the spanking is worse. My job is to figure out what it is that will stop you from doing the wrong thing. Understand?"

"Maybe," she said, scrunching up her face.

She was silent for a moment while she comprehended what he had told her. Then, with a quick flash of inspiration, she looked up at Gibbs and said, "You know what Daddy, I think being stuck in my room for an hour would be pretty horrible too. I _really_ hope you don't ever do that to me. I don't think I'd ever be naughty again!"

God she was smart, he thought.

He stood up and, holding Ziva under the arms, he lifted her high and began blowing raspberries on her exposed tummy where her pyjama top had ridden up. She kicked her legs and squealed and he couldn't help laughing with her.

"Ah Ziva," he said, when she finally stopped giggling. "I do love you, chickadee!"

Settling her on his hip, he tapped her nose saying, "You, Ziva Gibbs, are the cleverest five year old I know!"

"Really Daddy?" she asked. She was serious in her question.

"Yes, really," affirmed Gibbs.

He set her on the floor. "Go and get dressed Sweat Pea, and do not go into Tony's bedroom. OK?"

"OK Daddy," she said.

He watched as she turned and skipped up the stairs. Then, looking down at Douglas he said, "Well Champ, it looks like it's just you and me."

Staring at Douglas, Gibbs noticed the intense concentration on the baby's face. His suspicions were confirmed when a distinctive noise sounded from Douglas' rear end.

"Good one Champ," groaned Gibbs. Douglas looked up at him and giggled, giving Gibbs his best one toothed grin.

****NCIS****

By the time Jenny arrived home that evening, Gibbs had all three children in bed. Knowing she was taking Friday off, she had stayed back to finish off a couple of things.

After getting changed, she sat down at the table to eat the dinner Gibbs had prepared earlier.

"Kids are asleep," she said. "I just checked them all."

Gibbs poured a coffee and sat down on the end seat, adjacent to Jenny.

"Thanks," he said.

"How was Tony after the grounding?" she asked, tucking into her meal.

"Better," he said simply. "He managed to keep a civil check on his attitude for the rest of the day and even looked after Douglas for an hour or so while I did a few things around the house."

He took a quick gulp of coffee then added, "I rang Dad today."

Jenny looked up at him. "How'd it go?" she asked.

She knew Gibbs had been waiting until they knew for definite where they stood before he rang Jack.

"He took it pretty well actually. Better than I probably would have," he said laughing. "I think he's mellowing in his old age."

"So, he believed you?" asked Jenny in surprise. She picked up her fork and resumed eating.

"Yeah," replied Gibbs, just as surprised. "I thought I'd be explaining things until the cows came home but he just went quiet for a minute then said, 'Well Son, I guess you know what you're doing.' Maybe he thinks I've gone crazy. He's probably right," added Gibbs wryly.

Jenny laughed.

"Anyway," continued Gibbs, after taking another sip of coffee. "I went through the back stories with him and looks like we're all set for Monday. He's looking forward to meeting his 'grandchildren' he says."

Gibbs replaced the mug on the table.

"Actually," he said, looking at Jenny and raising his eyebrows. "He was more interested in learning we were together again."

Jenny raised her head again, still chewing. "How so?" she asked.

"Well, his exact words were, 'Bout time you two sorted it out. She's a damn good find that one Leroy. Make an honest woman outta her," finished Gibbs, putting on his best Jack impression.

"Damn good find?" repeated Jenny incredulously. "What are we, in 1952?"

Gibbs snorted.

"Well hon, remember it is Stillwater. Not even sure if women have the vote yet," he retorted dryly.

"How does he even know about me?" asked Jen. "We've never met?"

"Er, well, I might have said a few things a while back," replied Gibbs, blushing slightly. "I was pretty heartbroken when you left. Dad's advice was to go after you and drag you back if you meant that much to me."

"Geez," laughed Jenny. "That would've gone down well."

"Yep! You'll notice I didn't take that advice," he added.

"No, you just got re-married again," she said, smirking at him.

Taking the last mouthful, she stood and put her plate in the sink. Grabbing a mug she poured some coffee and sat back at the table.

For a while they just sat in comfortable silence, each sipping their coffee and reflecting on the past week.

"What time is Mrs Redding getting here in the morning?" asked Jenny, breaking the silence.

"Tim thought about 10.30," answered Gibbs. "She arrived in DC a few hours ago."

He took another sip.

"God, can you imagine what she's probably thinking at the moment?" said Gibbs. "Suddenly getting your husband handed back to you as a six month old."

"Well at least it's not permanent," commented Jenny. "She'll have the real deal again in eighteen months or so."

Jenny stood and opened the fridge. Searching for a minute, she found one of Tony and Ziva's chocolate pudding cups. Holding it out, she raised her eyebrows, wordlessly asking if Gibbs wanted one. When he shook his head, she closed the fridge and took out a spoon. Tearing off the paper lid, she sat down again and began eating the dessert.

"I'm more worried about how Tony and Ziva are going to respond to the news of their new lives," she said, tapping the spoon on her chin.

Gibbs watched her take another mouthful, then grabbed the spoon out of her hands and took a scoop.

"I asked you if you wanted one," she said crossly, trying to take back the spoon.

He shrugged. "I didn't, until I saw you eating yours."

He tried to steal another scoop, but Jenny held the cup out of the way.

"Go and get your own," she said. "And bring me another spoon please!"

He stood up and did as asked, grabbing another pudding cup out of the fridge. Handing Jenny her old spoon, he kept the clean one for himself. She gave him a quick look before picking up the spoon and digging in again.

"They'll be fine, Jen," he said, in answer to her earlier concern. "Neither of them wants their old life back. Tony has already asked me about being adopted. And he's old enough to know how important it is to maintain the cover. Ziva would normally be my concern, but with her photographic memory, she'll have her whole life story memorized in a couple of minutes."

"Yeah, I guess," said Jenny quietly. "It's always so much riskier when children are involved."

"Don't stress hon," said Gibbs, scraping out the last of his pudding. "They'll probably take to it better than most adults."

He stood and reached out for Jenny's empty pudding cup, which she passed to him before he put them both in the bin. Refilling both mugs, he passed one to her before holding out his hand saying, "Come on, let's relax for a bit on the sofa."

As they headed into the living room, Jenny said, "What are we going to do about Ziva tonight? I mean, should we just ignore her if she climbs in with Douglas?"

"Honestly Jen, if she's not disturbing anyone, I say just let it go for tonight," replied Gibbs, taking a seat. "The cot will be packed up tomorrow anyway."

"Yep, that's what I was hoping you'd say," agreed Jenny. She put her mug on the coffee table, before curling up next to Gibbs on the sofa and laying her head in his lap.

"Gonna miss you guys when you go to Stillwater," she said, relaxing as Gibbs ran his fingers through her hair.

"I'll ring," he said, as if that would make all the difference. "I might even get Tim to show me how to do that Sky thingy."

She frowned for an instant then, realizing what he meant, said, "Skype. It's called Skype."

"Whatever," he quipped.

"Does your Dad have internet?" she asked. She couldn't imagine Jackson Gibbs surfing the net too often.

"The store does," replied Gibbs. "He has it set up for customers."

"Very forward thinking," she remarked, yawning softly.

Gibbs bent forward and, scraping her hair back past her ears, he gently kissed her on the temple. She sighed and wriggled a little to snuggle into his lap. Smiling, Gibbs grabbed the remote and flicked on the TV ready to catch the late news.

Jenny was asleep before the main headlines had even been announced.


	8. Playing Pretend

**I am so sorry for the delay between posts. For the first time since starting this series my muse left me. I really struggled to write the first half of this chapter. I'm still not happy with it, but I need to post an update so it is what it is. I'm feeling far more inspired now that I've moved beyond Douglas and telling the children the plan. I'm looking forward to Tony's birthday.**

**Hope you enjoy.**

Chapter 8 - Playing Pretend

Arriving only a few minutes after 10.30am, Mrs Redding had been eager to meet with the family who had not only looked after her husband but had also found his captor. Tim, who had been assigned to drive Mrs Redding to Gibbs' house, had explained to her that Agent Gibbs' two children, Tony and Ziva, were unaware of the true nature of Douglas' condition, thus asking that she not mention anything until the children had been taken away from the house. Mrs Redding fully understood and agreed that she would pretend Douglas was her grandson.

When she and Tim stepped through the door, they were greeted by Gibbs and Jenny who quickly led them into the living room, where Tony, Ziva, Abby and Douglas sat on the floor playing with the now brightly painted blocks Gibbs had made.

Gibbs couldn't help but notice the shocked intake of air made by Mrs Redding when she laid eyes on her six month old husband for the first time. He had to admit though, he was impressed with her ability to regain composure quickly and step into the grandmother role almost immediately.

"Oh Douglas!" she cried, as she stepped forward and crouched down in front of the baby.

Although Gibbs watched carefully, he saw no sign of recognition from Douglas. No flash of familiarity, no widening of the eyes. This relieved him greatly. He had hoped that Douglas had no memory left of his adult existence and it would appear this was the case.

"Are you Douglas' grandma?" asked Ziva, looking carefully at the older woman who was now crouching on her knees.

"Yes dear," replied Mrs Redding. She smiled at Ziva and the little girl smiled back.

"Are you going to take him home with you?" Ziva asked.

"If that's ok with you?" replied Mrs Redding.

"Oh yes, that's very ok," replied Ziva nodding solemnly. The adults around her tried hard to supress smirks of amusement.

"Babies can be quite challenging can't they?" said Mrs Redding, not missing the relieved undertones expressed by Ziva.

"Yep, and he cries a lot!" remarked Ziva, rolling her eyes. "Mummy and Daddy say it's because he's getting a new tooth, so you may want to get some ear plugs because he's still got a lot of teeth to get!"

When Ziva reached out and patted Mrs Redding sympathetically on the shoulder, those around her could no longer hold their mirth. Abby was the first to crack, letting out a snort of laughter, quickly followed by Tim. Even Jenny and Gibbs gave a small chuckle. Tony was the only one who didn't see the funny side. He fully agreed with Ziva and thought the advice was excellent.

"You may also want to get some pegs for your nose," Tony added. "He stinks pretty bad in the mornings."

"Ah huh!" agreed Ziva, continuing to nod her head.

"Well," said Mrs Redding, looking at both children and smiling. "I can see that you are both quite eager to get back to your normal lives."

"Oh please don't think that we haven't enjoyed having Douglas," remarked Jenny, stepping forward and placing a hand on each of Tony and Ziva's shoulders. "The children have loved playing with him, and reading him stories. They even helped Jethro to paint those blocks for Douglas."

She pointed to the blocks scattered on the floor. "We thought Douglas might like to take them with him," she added.

"That's very kind of you," replied Mrs Redding.

Standing up and groaning slightly from being down on the floor, Mrs Redding turned to Jenny and, taking the younger woman's hand, said, "I appreciate everything you have done for him. I know it can't have been easy, especially with two children of your own."

Jenny smiled and squeezed the hand holding hers, "It's been our pleasure. Honestly!" she reassured.

Stepping back, Mrs Redding turned to Gibbs.

"I was wondering if I could take a photo of you and your family with Douglas?" she asked. "Just so I can tell him later about the wonderful people that rescued him and helped him through this difficult time."

Gibbs nodded.

"Sure," he said simply.

Bending down, he scooped up Douglas and, leading Tony and Ziva towards the sofa, he sat down with Jenny beside him. Ziva immediately claimed Gibbs' lap, so he passed the baby to Jenny. Jenny drew Tony in so that he was perched on her outer knee while Douglas sat on the other between her and Gibbs. It was a lovely pose and, any stranger looking at the photo, would assume the five of them were family. Taking out her camera, Mrs Redding quickly snapped a couple of shots, followed enthusiastically by Abby who did the same using her phone.

As Jenny stood, she handed Douglas to Mrs Redding saying, "When you get settled back home, shoot us an email and I'll send you some of the photos I've taken of Douglas over the past week or so."

"That would be lovely, thank you," replied Mrs Redding. She looked down at her infant husband and, while not expressing anything verbally, no one could miss the apprehension that crossed her face.

Abby took that look as her cue to gather together Tony and Ziva and take them out for a while. Neither child argued, both being relieved to be doing something without Douglas tagging along.

As Tony and Ziva said their final goodbyes to Douglas and Mrs Redding, Jenny returned to the kitchen to make tea and coffee for everyone as well as cutting up the cake she had bought earlier. It was going to be a difficult hour of conversation and she hoped the added bonus of caffeine and sugar may help to ease the awkwardness.

Sitting around the kitchen table, the next hour was spent with Gibbs and Jenny explaining all they knew regarding Douglas' regression. The fact that it was short-term and, according to Stevens, harmless, Gibbs assured Mrs Redding that in eighteen months time, she should have her husband back again. As to his emotional health, unfortunately neither Gibbs nor Jenny could comment.

Once Mrs Redding seemed comfortable with this fact, Gibbs then went on to stress the importance of secrecy, explaining, in no uncertain terms, that the true nature behind Douglas' regression was not to be disclosed to anyone except immediate family. Mrs Redding assured Gibbs that this had already been taken care of. To avoid any awkward questions from neighbours and friends, Mrs Redding had decided to put all her furniture in storage and rent out their Paris apartment, choosing to live with her daughter in Italy until Douglas was back to normal. Both Jenny and Gibbs breathed a sigh of relief. This had been the one thing that had worried them the most.

And so, with hugs and many thanks, Mrs Redding and Douglas left the Gibbs' house with Tim, once again, as their chauffer. As they closed the front door, Jenny and Gibbs gave a deep sigh of relief. The meeting had gone fairly well considering the awkwardness of it all.

They had just finished eating lunch when an exuberant Abby bounced through the front door followed by Ziva and Tony.

"Back already?" said Gibbs, standing to greet Abby with a kiss to her cheek. "Everythin' OK?"

"Yep, all good," replied Abby cheerfully. "We had-"

"We had McDonald's for lunch Daddy," interrupted Ziva. "And we got these Snoopy toys and Abby says Snoopy is a cartoon character and he sometimes has shows on TV. Can we watch them one day, please, please, please!" She held out a plastic Snoopy wearing a skiing outfit and fitted with skis while she bounced up and down in front of him.

"I think you've been taking bouncing lessons from Abby," said Gibbs, placing a hand on Ziva's head to calm her down.

"But can we Daddy?" she insisted.

"Sure Honey, if it comes on TV and we're home to watch it, then yes," answered Gibbs.

"And Dad," added Tony, stepping forward and taking a seat at the table. "Can you please tell Ziva what the name of the comic strip is that has Snoopy in it?"

"Peanuts?" questioned Gibbs, not sure if that was what his son was asking.

"See! Told ya!" said an exasperated Tony to Ziva. He turned back to his Dad. "I tried to tell her but she wouldn't believe me."

"You're tricking me Daddy," said Ziva warily. "Who would call a comic strip after a food when it's about kids and a dog?"

"Because, way back when the comic strip was first created, kids were sometimes called peanuts and I guess it just stuck," replied Gibbs. "I sometimes call you peanut."

"Oh yeah," she said, as if she were just remembering something. "OK then, Tony. I'll believe you."

Tony just rolled his eyes in response.

"Coffee Abby?" asked Jenny, stepping in now that the Peanuts conversation was settled.

"Nah, I'd better be going," said Abby smiling at Jenny. "Douglas and Mrs Redding left OK?"

"About an hour ago," said Gibbs, nodding slightly. "Tim drove them back to the airport."

Abby nodded. "Oh well, I guess I'll leave you two to tackle the next stage," she said with a grin. "I'll see ya Sunday. I think it's someone's birthday but I'm not sure," she added looking questioningly at Tony.

Tony grinned widely.

"Meeeeeee!" he yelled jumping up from his chair and spinning around.

Abby laughed. "See ya," she added before turning around and heading for the front door.

"Bye Abbs," called Gibbs.

He then turned to the two children.

"How about we go and sit in the living room," he suggested. "Mom and I need to have a talk with you both."

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it," began Tony.

"Neither did I?" added Ziva.

"I didn't say either of you did anything," began Gibbs. "Talk about guilty consciences. Is there something we should know about?"

"No," answered both children together.

"It's just that when you and Mom want to talk to us, it's usually because we've done something," said Tony.

"Uh huh!" agreed Ziva nodding emphatically.

"Well this time you're off the hook," said Jenny, walking forward and putting an arm around each child. "But we do still need to talk to you, so how about we go and sit down in the other room."

Shuffling both children forward, Jenny and Gibbs sat the children down on the sofa while they perched themselves on the coffee table in front of them.

"Tony," began Gibbs. "Do you remember when we were fishing on the lake and you asked me whether or not we could adopt you?"

"Yeah," answered Tony, drawing out the word. He had no idea where this conversation was going and the seriousness in both his parent's eyes had made him feel a little uncomfortable.

"Well, things have changed a little bit and it is now possible for me to adopt both of you so that you can really have the Gibbs' name. That means that you can now legally be my children and the law recognizes me as your father."

"But you're already our Daddy," said Ziva, scrunching up her face in confusion.

"Yes, but now it's official. That means that nobody can take you away from me. You are now my children forever," explained Gibbs. "How does that sound to you two?"

"Great," said Tony. "I kind of thought it was like that anyway."

Gibbs smiled at him. He had to admit, it was always that way in his heart too. He looked at Ziva.

"How about you Sweet Pea? Are you OK with being a Gibbs for real?" he asked her.

Ziva paused and Gibbs wondered if she was having second thoughts.

"Who would want to take us away from you?" she asked.

He should have known. Her little brain was already five steps ahead. He did realize though, it was the perfect segue into the next part of their talk.

Leaning forward on his knees, Gibbs said very carefully, "Well, there is a reason that I have made these changes. Now, I don't mean to scare you both but it's important that you listen carefully to what I'm about to say."

He took a deep breath.

"There is a chance that your other fathers may come looking for you." He said it carefully and slowly so that there was no mistake of misinterpretation.

Both children suddenly sat up straight and looked at him. He was reminded of that terrified look that is often seen in an animal just before it is taken by its predator.

"It's not something we know for sure, it's just something that may happen," continued Gibbs. "But, we need to make plans so that you are both protected and kept safe. And one of those ways, it to make sure that you are legally my children."

Both sets of eyes bore into his.

"However, to make that happen, we're going to have to play a little game of pretend. It's only pretend to our family though. To everyone else it has to appear real."

Gibbs paused for a moment, then said, "Do either of you know what an identity is?"

Ziva shrugged. "Sort of," she said. "But it's hard to explain."

"It's kind of like who you are?" replied Tony, a little unsure of his answer.

"That's right Tony," praised Gibbs. "Our identity is who we are. What our names are, what we look like, when we were born, all of that. Well, for our little game, you and Ziva are going to be getting new identities. That's part of the pretend game. You still get to keep your first names but, where you came from and who your families were before you met me, will be different."

"Do we still get to keep our birthdays?" asked Tony. He'd suddenly realized that, if this could be changed, he may not be celebrating on the weekend as planned.

Gibbs smiled, "Yes, you still get to keep your birthdays."

Tony breathed a sigh of relief.

"But Daddy, how will this stop Abba from finding me?" asked Ziva.

"It makes it difficult for him to track you down because all the old information about you no longer exists. If he tries to look up Ziva David, he won't find anyone by that name," explained Gibbs.

Although Gibbs knew this technically wasn't true, he wasn't about to scare them further by explaining that they were planning on faking their deaths as well. He felt that would be far too big a concept for either child to understand but especially Ziva.

"Hey, if it means I don't have to live with Senior again, I'm happy to be Jiminy Cricket," retorted Tony.

"I don't want to be a cricket," said Ziva. "I want to be Ziva."

"That's not what Tony means Honey," said Jenny. "He means that he would be happy playing the pretend game if it means that it keeps him safe from Senior. Are you happy to play the pretend game too?"

"I guess," said Ziva quietly. "But Abba is really smart Mommy. What if he still finds me?"

"Well, that's the next part of the plan," said Gibbs "You've both heard me talk about my Dad who owns a store in a small town?"

Both children nodded.

"Well, I thought it would be nice to go and visit him for a couple of weeks so that we won't be here in this house. We can have lots of fun with Grandpa Jack and, even if Abba or Senior do come to D.C. to try and find you, we won't be there. We'll be far away."

"Will we come back here?" asked Tony.

"Eventually," replied Gibbs. "Once everything has settled down and Senior and Abba are no longer looking for you. They will give up, and then we can come home again."

"You won't need to worry about Senior," said Tony sagely. "I bet he doesn't even bother looking for me. The last thing he'll want is me hanging around again."

Gibbs reached out and placed a comforting hand on Tony's shoulder. As sad as it sounded, he knew the boy was probably spot on with his assumptions.

"I don't care what Senior thinks Tony," said Gibbs gently. "I'm proud to have you with me and I'm proud to call you my son."

Tony blushed and looked down into his lap. Trying to shift the focus, he said brightly, "So, what's this new identity I now have? Hey, can I be Magnum's kid, on the run from crooks who are trying to kidnap me for a ransom?" asked Tony enthusiastically.

"As interesting as that sounds, it probably wouldn't be believed by many people," replied Gibbs, patting Tony's thigh.

"Oh well," said Tony, a little disappointed. "So who am I then?"

"Just before I get to that," began Gibbs. "I need to know that both of you understand what I've said so far."

"Sure," said Tony. "I get it."

"What about you Ziva? Do you understand everything so far?" asked Gibbs.

"I understand it Daddy," said Ziva, lifting her brown eyes to meet his. "I just don't know if it will work. Abba's job is to find people who are pretending, or who are doing bad things. What if he finds me? I don't want to go back there. I miss Ari and Ima but I'm scared Daddy."

A small tear escaped her large soulful eyes and began its decent down her cheek. Reaching forward, Gibbs gathered her into his arms and brushed away the wayward tear.

"I'll keep you safe Ziva," he whispered softly into her ear as he rocked her gently. "As long as you're with me, nobody will hurt you. That's a promise. OK?" He brushed her hair back and watched as she nodded.

"And it's one of the reasons we need to play this pretend game and make sure we know everything about our new identities," said Gibbs, drawing his attention back to the topic. "You're going to have to try really hard to remember everything I'm going to tell you and make sure you play the game when people ask about who you are."

"But isn't that lying?" asked Tony.

"Yes, it is lying Tony," answered Gibbs honestly. "But sometimes, when it's something really important like this, we have to tell some lies in order to keep ourselves safe. I know that goes against everything I've taught you, but when it comes to anything about your new identities, you have my permission to lie to people."

"Cool!" exclaimed Tony, his eyes widening and a grin spreading across his face. "Permission to lie!"

"Only when it comes to your new identities," repeated Gibbs sternly. He could see where Tony's mind was going and he wanted to put a stop to that quick smart!

"OK. Got it," replied Tony. However, his mind was already racing ahead to see how he could use this new enlightened rule to his advantage.

"Alright then Daddy," said Ziva bravely. "I'm ready to hear about the new me."

Gibbs smiled and hugged her close. This sort of thing was hard enough for adults to deal with, let alone an eleven year old and a five year old.

The next hour and a half was spent going through the back stories that Abby had created. Gibbs began by telling them both the whole story so that they knew how they fitted together before they came to live with him and Jenny. He then sent Ziva and Jenny to the kitchen giving them an opportunity to practise answers to common questions she may be asked, while he did the same with Tony. After fifteen minutes, he and Jenny swapped children, repeating the exercise. Finally, they spent another thirty minutes role playing every day scenarios that may crop up until both Jenny and Gibbs were convinced that Tony and Ziva were sure about their new identities.

When they finally sat down at the kitchen table to have an afternoon snack, Gibbs ended the exercise by saying, "So, from this moment on, you are no longer Ziva David or Tony DiNozzo. You are now Ziva Gibbs and Tony Gibbs."

"Ziva Ashira Gibbs, Daddy," corrected Ziva.

"Good girl," he replied, pleased that she grasped the concept enough to correct him.

"Hey, that makes you Zag," said Tony suddenly. He began to laugh.

"Huh?" replied Ziva, turning towards him. Gibbs and Jenny did the same.

"Ziva Ashira Gibbs, Z. A. G. zag!" explained Tony. "Your new initials spell out the word zag. I think I might call you that."

Ziva shrugged. "If you want," she replied.

Tony looked a little disappointed. He'd hope to get a rise out of her but, instead, she had agreed. Still, he did like the nickname. He'd try it out for a while.

"So when are we going to see Grandpa Jack?" asked Tony, biting into his apple.

"Monday," replied Gibbs. "After your party. The three of us will head off in the morning."

"Three?" questioned Tony. "What about Mom?"

"I have to stay here Hon," replied Jenny. "I need to work. Plus, my role in the game is to make sure Senior or Abba don't find out anything about you."

Both Tony and Ziva stopped eating and looked at Jenny.

"But, what if Senior does come here? Or Ziva's Dad? Who will protect you?" asked Tony, his voice trembling slightly.

Jenny was touched by Tony's chivalry. He may not be Gibbs' biological son, but he certainly had the same attitude when it came to 'keeping the women folk safe'.

"I'll be fine Honey," she said smiling at him. "Your Dad taught me how to protect myself and we both know what a great teacher he is."

Jenny looked over at Gibbs and grinned. "Before I was the Director of NCIS," she continued. "I was an agent just like Dad. And he taught me everything he knows."

"Not everything," replied Gibbs dryly. "A man's gotta have some secrets."

Jenny glanced his way but was saved from making any comment when Tony said, "So you know how to use a gun?"

"Sure do," she replied. "Not that I plan on needing to use one. I'm sure it won't come to that."

"Make sure you have one, just in case," added Tony.

She smiled to herself. He was sounding more like Gibbs every day. Actually, she thought to herself, he was sounding just like the adult Tony DiNozzo. Watching Tony as he resumed eating his apple, Jenny concluded that, despite the fact he had his whole future ahead of him, it wouldn't surprise her one bit should he choose to go into law enforcement again. Tony was born protector. His desire to keep people safe was obviously innate and she firmly believed that the new future would see an NCIS agent by the name of Anthony Daniel Gibbs. And she was just fine with that.

****NCIS****

The afternoon was spent cleaning the house and removing, or packing up, everything that had been out due to Douglas. When Gibbs began folding up the porta-cot, Ziva was not impressed.

"Leave it out Daddy," she insisted, running forward and placing her hand on his to stop him.

"But we don't need any more Ziva," replied Gibbs firmly. He had been expecting a response such as this.

"But I'll use it," she whined. "I like sleeping in there and it will be even better without Douglas in the way."

Gibbs stopped what he was doing and sat back on the bed. Facing his daughter, he said gently, "Ziva, cribs are for babies. You're not a baby anymore. You have a lovely big bed in your own room."

"But I want to sleep with you and Mommy. I don't like it when I wake up in my room by myself." She spoke softly, looking down towards the ground and twisting slightly on the spot.

"Why?" asked Gibbs.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, I just don't."

"Sweetie," began Gibbs, lifting her chin so they were making eye contact. "We've talked about this before. You have your room and Mommy and I have ours. Now if you have a nightmare or are worried about something, you are always welcome to come and see us, but that doesn't mean every night. Just like you need time to be alone, so do Mommy and Daddy. When you wake up at night, you need to try and go back to sleep in your own bed."

"But I don't want tooooo!" she whined crossly, jingling up and down and stretching out the last word.

Realizing that the battle was far from over, added to the fact that having Douglas the past two weeks had enabled Ziva to gain the upper hand again, Gibbs knew that it was time to get firm with her.

"Ziva, listen to me," he began sternly. "You are five years old and old enough to be able to sleep in your own room. Tony sleeps in his room, Mommy and I sleep in ours and you sleep in yours. Is that clear?"

"Douglas got to sleep in your room and he's not even your baby!" she said accusingly. Her temper was rising and her feet were beginning to stomp.

Gibbs closed his eyes for a second. Douglas was gone, but his legacy still lived on.

"Douglas was a baby and he needed attention through the night," began Gibbs, speaking as patiently as he could. "He needed to be fed and changed. You are a big girl Ziva. You can feed yourself and go to the bathroom on your own. And that makes me and Mommy very proud of you. But," he said, hoping to distract her from a full blown tantrum. "There is one thing that you and Tony and Douglas all still need. Do you know what that is?"

She sniffed and shook her head.

He reached out and grabbed her, placing her on his lap and squeezing her tightly.

"Lots and lots of big squishy hugs!" he said, rocking her from side to side.

Ziva began squealing and giggling.

"Help, I can't breathe!" she yelled.

Gibbs loosened his grip but continued to hold her on his knee.

"It doesn't matter how old you are, you are never too big for cuddles," he reiterated.

"But I still want to sleep with you," she said determinedly.

Gibbs sighed. This was not going to be solved today. He stood and let Ziva slide to the floor.

"No Honey," he said gently.

Stepping around her, he walked to the other side of the crib and began to pull out the poles that held it together. With both ends now devoid of any structure, the porta-cot collapsed in on itself into a crumpled heap.

"Noooo!" screamed Ziva, running forward and trying to put it back together.

"Ziva, let go please," said Gibbs firmly.

"NO!" she yelled, gripping the material firmly in her hands.

"One…" began Gibbs, looking at her sternly.

She held her ground, staring back, her eyes mutinous.

"Two…" continued Gibbs.

He saw her eyes waver for a second, but only fleetingly. Almost immediately they were back to defiance.

"Three!"

He stepped forward and, taking her hand firmly, picked her up and deposited her on the edge of the bed.

"Five minutes," he said in a no nonsense tone, before turning to the bedside clock and setting the timer.

From the moment Gibbs had taken her hand, Ziva had begun screaming in full tantrum mode. Now, perched on the bed, she wasn't about to let a time-out stop her. Sliding to the floor, she sat down against the bed and began kicking her feet, continuing to scream statements including, "It's not fair!" and "I wanna sleep with you!"

Ignoring her, Gibbs continued to dismantle the crib. It had been a while since Ziva had tested the boundaries like this. He assumed with everything she had been told earlier that day, added to the continuing battle with the bedtime routine, she was just wanting to take back a little control.

As he pulled out the last pole and stacked them together, he heard Jenny enter the room.

"What's going on?" she asked, looking first as the kicking and screaming child on the floor, then at Gibbs.

"Dispute over the crib," he replied simply.

Ziva looked up from her spot on the floor. Eyes puffy and red, she shouted in a guttural tone, "I wanna sleep with you!"

Pretending he didn't hear the statement, knowing it wasn't said in defiance of the time out, Gibbs ignored Ziva and continued folding up the crib, now with Jenny's help. As he moved around closer to where Ziva was screaming on the floor, he gathered the poles and began to slot them through the loops designed as part of the carry bag.

He suddenly felt a sharp pinch on his leg. Looking down he saw Ziva scowling up at him, her fingers ready to pinch again. Mustering all his strength not to lose his temper, he bent down and, in one swift movement, lifted Ziva and placed her in the middle of the bed.

Leaning in he said softly, "If you want to kick and scream during your time out, that's your choice. But you do not EVER hurt someone because you are angry. Don't EVER do that again!"

Turning away, he readjusted the timer on the clock. "Your five minutes starts again."

This time Ziva didn't scream. Instead she rolled over onto her stomach and buried her head into the covers and sobbed, occasionally punching her fist on the bed or kicking out a foot.

As Gibbs and Jenny folded the main body of the crib, Jenny whispered, "Well done. I think I would have lost my temper."

He smiled at her and said just as quietly, "Took all my will power, but I figured if I've just told her not to hurt someone in anger, it wouldn't look too good if I took a swat out of frustration."

Placing the now folded crib into the bag with the poles, Gibbs passed it to Jenny.

"Can you put that in the basement for me?" he asked. "I better wait here."

"Sure," she said, leaning in for a quick kiss. "I'll see you down stairs."

He watched as Jenny headed out the bedroom then took a seat on the floor, leaning up against the bed. Glancing at the clock he noticed that there was just over a minute to go. Rubbing his eyes in both tiredness and frustration, Gibbs listened to the hiccuping sniffles now coming from the little form on the bed. He had been surprised at just how much Douglas' presence had affected Ziva. In so many ways she had reverted back to wanting to behave like a toddler. Even knowing that Douglas' stay was only temporary, Ziva had still struggled to cope with the infant.

He wondered if part of her behavior was simply a case of insecurity and fear. For the first time in her short life she was beginning to feel loved and secure in her place within this family. She had stopped being fearful of being hurt for no reason, she had began to trust, know the rules and the consistency of the consequences. Maybe that was what today had been about. Testing again to see if things were still as they had been before Douglas. He was so glad he had kept his temper and not swatted her for pinching him. Even the look she had given him from the floor had been a glare of daring, testing to see whether he would keep his anger. Thank God he'd past that one. He suddenly realised he and Jenny had done Ziva a disservice by allowing her to sleep with Douglas in the crib. Their actions had all but said to her, 'we're too tired to deal with you right now.' He sighed. They were bound to make mistakes along the way.

As the buzzer sounded, he reached over and flicked it off. Crawling on the bed, he lay down on his side next to Ziva and gathered her in his arms, brushing the wet strands of hair away from her hot, sticky forehead and kissing her head gently.

Still hiccuping from all the crying she had done, Ziva snuggled back into his chest.

No words were spoken. None were needed. Both recognized their mistakes and each were content to simply bask in the love that surrounded them.

Forgiveness was a given.


	9. Releasing the Past

**This is a slightly shorter chapter as I wanted to separate it from the celebrations of Tony's birthday, which is the next chapter. I will be posting chapter 10 in the next couple of days as it is just about finished. Sorry again for the delay, but I felt Ziva needed this closure before the story could move on.**

**Enjoy**

Chapter 9 - Releasing the Past

"Well Tony, I think we have every available form of party junk food ever created," said Jenny, as she and Tony stumbled through the living room and into the kitchen. Dumping the bags of groceries on the table, they both gave a relieved sigh when their arms were once again unburdened.

"Can we taste test a few things tonight?" asked Tony eagerly, peering into the bag that contained the candy bags and chips.

"We'll see," replied Jenny.

Tony's shoulders slumped. 'We'll see' usually meant no.

As Jenny checked her watch, she noticed it was 2.15pm.

"I thought Ziva and Dad would've been back by now," she said, opening the door to the basement to listen for any sounds that might indicate they were home.

Suddenly a loud tapping could be heard through the patio door. Turning instantly, Tony and Jenny headed in that direction.

"Woah!" exclaimed Tony as he opened the door onto the back yard. Eyes alight, he stepped onto the patio and just stared ahead.

The backyard looked completely transformed. Strung between the patio and various trees in the yard were thousands of tiny fairy lights. Although, due to the daylight, Tony couldn't see the actual effect, he could imagine how great it would look tomorrow night. Looking to the right of the patio, he could see a large red and blue striped Marquee. As Tony ran towards his Dad, he watched him hammer in the last remaining pegs.

"This is cool Dad," he said as he stepped under the canopy.

"Yep, well, that's the idea," replied Gibbs, giving one last tap before standing up and stretching out his back. "They've forecast a pretty hot day tomorrow so this should provide us with plenty of shade.

"What are these for?" asked Tony, looking at the rolled pieces of plastic between the openings.

"I guess they're kind of like roller walls," said Gibbs smiling. "If it started to rain, or if it was cold, you could roll them down, zip them to the corners and it turns it into a room."

Gibbs demonstrated by unrolling one of the walls and showing Tony how it covered the space between the two legs of the marquee.

"But," he continued, rolling it back up again. "I don't think we'll be needing these tomorrow."

"I love all the lights," said Tony, heading back out in the yard and stretching up towards the cords strung between the patio, the marquee and the trees. "There must be thousands!" he added.

"Yep," replied Gibbs. "Some of them are coloured and some are just clear, but they should look really good when it gets dark."

"It looks fantastic Dad," said Tony, putting his arms around Gibbs' waist. "Thank you."

Gibbs tousled Tony's hair before leaning down a planting a gentle kiss on the boy's head. "Not a problem Bud. I want tomorrow to be a special day for you. Actually, the best thing hasn't arrived yet. It will be here in the morning."

"What is it?" asked Tony, the excitement bubbling over into his voice.

"You'll have to wait and see," replied Gibbs mysteriously.

Looking up, Gibbs saw Jenny walking towards them.

"So, did you and Mom get everything you needed at the grocery store?" he asked, smiling at Jenny as she approached them.

"Yep," said Tony. "We have 4 huge bags full of junk food."

His voice sounded so excited and his eyes were so bright that Gibbs couldn't help but laugh. It was lovely to see Tony so excited about his birthday. Gibbs knew, all too well, that, at the very least, the last three of Tony's birthdays has passed without any acknowledgement. He and Jenny intended to make sure this was one to remember.

"Four hey?" remarked Gibbs. "So was there anything left at the store?"

"Yep," replied Tony. "The stuff I didn't like."

Gibbs laughed.

"Where's Ziva?" asked Jenny, looking around.

Gibbs gave Jenny a knowing look before saying to Tony, "How about you make a start unpacking all that stuff Bud?"

"OK," replied Tony happily.

"No eating any of it!" reminded Jenny, as Tony ran towards the kitchen door. She laughed as she watched his shoulders slump again.

Turning back to Gibbs she said, "What's up?"

"I don't know Jen. There is something definitely going on but she won't talk to me," replied Gibbs, stepping away from the marquee and taking a seat on the retainer wall in the garden.

Sitting next to him, Jenny said, "So where is she?"

"In her room," said Gibbs, looking up towards Ziva's bedroom window. "Since you've been gone, she's had her bottom swatted once and two timeouts. I just don't get it Jen, she hasn't push the boundaries like this since she first regressed. And it can't be just Douglas, there has to be something else going on?"

"Did you ask her what was wrong?" asked Jenny.

"Gee, why didn't I think of that," replied Gibbs sarcastically. Then, seeing the look Jenny was giving him, replied, "She won't talk to me. I ask her what's wrong and she just keeps saying 'nothing,' or 'I'm fine'. It's driving me crazy Jen."

"How about I try?" said Jenny, leaning on his shoulder. "Maybe it's some 'girlie' thing she wants to talk about. Although she's a bit young for that but, I'm happy to give it a go."

"Yeah well, 'good luck' is all I can say," said Gibbs, sighing deeply. "I hope she opens up to you because there is definitely something bothering her."

Jenny patted his knee and stood up. "I'll let you know how I go," she said, before turning and heading back into the house.

Passing Tony in the kitchen, she smiled when she looked at the table. Tony had emptied each grocery bag and placed everything they had bought onto the kitchen table. Looking at it briefly, she could see he had sorted it into groups; candy, snack foods, finger foods, desserts, drinks. He looked up as she entered.

"I thought I'd pack things away according to group," he said smiling. "Over here we have the candy and snack foods and then here," he pointed to the sausage rolls, mini hotdogs, burgers and party pies, "We have the lunch foods."

"That's fine Tony," said Jenny. "Just put all the lunch foods into the freezer fairly soon before they start to defrost."

"Oh OK," replied Tony, gathering up a box of party pies.

"And you can leave the sodas out on the table. Dad can put them into the fridge in the basement," she added as she headed out into the living room.

Reaching Ziva's room, Jenny knocked softly then entered. The little girl was sitting at her desk drawing a picture. As Jenny approached, Ziva looked up.

"Hey peanut," said Jenny, running her fingers through Ziva's hair. "What you up to?"

"Drawing," replied Ziva, looking back towards her picture. It showed a young girl and an older boy standing hand in hand.

Looking at the picture, Jenny asked, "Is that you and Tony?"

"No," said Ziva quietly.

Jenny waited but Ziva didn't elaborate.

"Who is it then?" she finally asked.

"Me and Ari."

Jenny gave a nod and wondered what to say next. She had never seen Ziva draw a picture of Ari before. Her people pictures were usually of her current family.

Looking carefully, Jenny could see the beginnings of a third person but it had been erased out.

"Who was this?" she asked, pointing to the faint outline.

Ziva didn't say anything, but suddenly grabbed the piece of paper and scrunched it up. Standing up, she left the little desk and sat herself on her bed.

Surprised by the sudden outburst, Jenny watched as Ziva sat on the edge of the bed, head down and legs swinging.

"Hey," she said gently, sitting down next to the little girl. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," replied Ziva, still not making eye contact.

"Well, I think you and I both know that that's not true," said Jenny. "Can you tell me what's bothering you? Daddy's very worried about you too. And we can't help you unless you talk to us."

Still silence.

Thinking about the picture, Jenny asked, "Was that Abba you erased out in the picture?"

"No!" shouted Ziva, standing up. "It wasn't anybody. Stop asking me!"

And with that, she turned abruptly and ran out of the room leaving Jenny sitting alone on the bed.

Looking towards the desk, Jenny could see a few pictures that had been started. All of them seem to include Ziva, some of them with an older boy whom she assumed was Ari again where as others were of Ziva alone. However, as Jenny peered closer, she could see in every drawing, the faint outline of another person that always appeared to have been started and then erased. Gathering up the sheets, Jenny left Ziva's room, intent on showing the drawings to Gibbs when they had a moment alone. Entering her own room, she placed them on the chest of drawers before heading back downstairs.

"Zi-va don't!"

Tony's raised voice could be heard as Jenny was only halfway down the stairs.

"You're not allowed. That's for tomorrow."

"Who cares," replied Ziva.

"I do," said Tony. "It's for my party. Leave them alone!" The last part was shouted and, as Jenny entered into the kitchen, she could see why. Standing at the table, Ziva had tried to open several packets of candy and was now digging into a bag of Cheetos.

"Ziva!" admonished Jenny sternly. "Put those down."

Dropping the packet on the table, Ziva ran from the kitchen into the back yard. Jenny looked at the disarray on the table.

"What happened?" she asked a very flustered looking Tony.

"She came in here and just started trying to rip open all the packets," began Tony. "I kept telling her no but she wouldn't stop. She finally managed to open the Cheetos and just stated eating them."

Jenny sighed. "OK, well how about you put all the candy packets into the cupboard and," she bent down and took out and air tight container from the bottom cupboard, "Put the Cheetos in here. They should be fine for tomorrow."

"Can I have a few?" asked Tony, eyeing off the open packet.

"Yes, alright," conceded Jenny, laughing slightly. "Just a few though."

Tony dipped his hand into the packet and popped the snack into his mouth chewing noisily. He grinned at Jenny.

She smiled back before heading out the patio door to find Ziva.

Walking across the yard, she called out to Gibbs. "Did you see Ziva?"

"Yep, in the tree house," he called back from the marquee where he was hammering in the last peg. "Why?"

"Don't worry," she said with a wave of her hand. "I've got it."

Reaching the tree house, Jenny climbed the ladder and peered in through the doorway. Ziva was sitting crossed legged on the floor, staring out the window.

"Why did you open the snacks when you knew they were for Tony's party tomorrow?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

Ziva shrugged.

"I need an answer please," said Jenny sternly.

"Don't know. I was hungry?" replied Ziva.

Knowing this answer was purely given to satisfy the need for a verbal response, Jenny sighed and chose not to pursue that line of questioning further but, instead, said, "Ziva, if you won't tell us what is bugging you, then all Daddy and I can do is keep putting you in time-out. If we don't know how to help you, we can only assume you are being deliberately naughty." She paused to give Ziva an opportunity to talk. When the silence continued, Jenny said, "Can you please tell us what is bothering you?"

A few more seconds of silence followed before Ziva suddenly stood up and, grabbing the pole next to the tree house, shimmied down to the grass below.

As she headed to the house, Jenny called, "Ziva, where are you going?"

"To my room for a time-out," replied the little girl, not turning back.

Jenny watched as Ziva opened the kitchen door and disappeared inside. Slumping with her head leaning against the tree house, she jumped when she felt Gibbs' hand on her leg.

"What was that about?" he asked, guiding her gently as she reversed down the ladder.

"I have no idea Jethro," replied Jenny tersely, as she steadied herself on the grass. "She won't talk."

He knew her frustration wasn't directed at him, Gibbs himself felt the same way.

Walking together towards the house, Jenny explained about the pictures in Ziva's room and suggested they have a look at them to see if they could find some clue as to what was bothering their youngest. They only got as far as the staircase however, before an angry Ziva stood at the top, glaring at them.

"Where are my pictures?" she yelled.

"I collected them up to show Daddy," said Jenny, as the two of them jogged up the stairs. "I wanted him to see how good they are."

"No, they're mine. I don't want anyone to see them. Give them back!" demanded Ziva.

"Hey, that's no way to speak-" began Gibbs but he was cut off by Jenny's hand on his chest.

"It's ok," whispered Jenny before leading them into hers and Gibbs' room and taking the down the sheets from the chest of drawers. As she handed them to Ziva, the little girl grabbed them and began tearing them into pieces.

"I hate them and no one can see them," she yelled, as she continued to tear at the paper.

"Why Ziva?" began Jenny, crouching down to the five year old's level. "What do you hate about them?"

Refusing to answer, Ziva scrunched the tiny pieces into a ball and held it close to her chest.

"No one can see these. They don't exist anymore!" she yelled before running out of the room. Standing up again, Jenny and Gibbs listened as they heard Ziva's door slam.

Slumping to the bed, Jenny looked absently to the top of the drawers. Spying something, she stood and reached out for the lone piece of paper.

"I must have missed one," she said, holding out the paper for Gibbs to see.

Sitting back down, the two of them stared at the picture. Once again, it showed a young girl holding the hand of an older boy. Standing next to the girl was a faint outline of a third person.

Gibbs took the paper and held it closer to his eyes.

"I think I know who this is?" he said, squinting at the drawing.

He showed it to Jenny.

"Look carefully at the middle of the person. Ziva has drawn her sideways.

"Her?" questioned Jenny. Taking the paper, she stared carefully. Then, as comprehension dawned, she looked at Gibbs.

"This lady is pregnant. It's Ziva's mother," she all but whispered.

"They don't exist anymore," repeated Jenny. It suddenly all made sense. The reason for the anger, the confusion, the acting out.

"Oh Jethro," she sighed, leaning into his shoulder. "That poor little girl. She must be horribly confused."

"Yeah," replied Gibbs hoarsely. He felt so guilty. He thought Ziva had understood about the identity change. It didn't even occur to him how she would feel about disowning her family. Although Gibbs and Jenny knew that Ari, Tali and Rivka were dead, in Ziva's mind they were still very much alive and living in Israel.

"What do we do?" he said, completely at a loss. "Do we tell her they have been killed? At least she could mourn for them and move on."

"I think we should," replied Jenny. "As hard as that is, at least then she will know. If we tell her the same thing as what happened to her fake family, it might make it easier on her."

"What, tell her they were killed in the market place by a suicide bomber?" asked Gibbs. When Jenny nodded, he continued, "I guess that could work."

"Ah shit," he cursed, lying back on the bed. "I should have handled it better."

"Don't beat yourself up Jethro," said Jenny, lying down next to him. "None of us really thought about it. It's so much easier with Tony as his mother has already passed in his mind. We were just trying to ensure they knew the background story to protect their safely. Neither of us thought about what would be going through her head."

"Shoulda known though Jen," he replied, still berating himself. "She's so intelligent and is always thinking five steps ahead."

"Well, we didn't Hon," said Jenny simply. "All we do can now is explain things to her as best we can and answer any questions she may have. I think yesterday, even she was more consumed with Eli finding her. It was probably only later last night or even early this morning that she started thinking about her Mom and Ari and what it all meant with never seeing them again."

Jenny sat up and looked at Gibbs. "I think it's best if you talk to her on your own. I'll fill Tony in and keep him downstairs."

"Yeah, OK," agreed Gibbs, also sitting up and scrubbing his face with his hands. "Wish me luck?" he said, sounding more confident than he felt.

"You'll be right," said Jenny patting his knee. "You're good at this sort of thing."

She kissed him gently, before standing up and leaving the room.

Entering Ziva's room, Gibbs found the little girl laid on her bed, the scrunched up pieces of paper held close to her chest. He walked over to her and sat on the edge of the bed, gently laying his hand on her back and rubbing softly.

"Ziva?" he inquired.

When she didn't respond, he laid down beside her with her back to his face knowing that the lack of eye contact would make it easier for her to talk. Putting his arm around her, he pulled her closer.

"I'm so sorry Sweet Pea," said Gibbs, whispering gently behind her ear. "I just didn't think. I was so concerned about you knowing your new identity I didn't even think about how it would affect you."

He gently stroked his fingers through her hair as he spoke. She didn't say anything but he knew she was listening intently.

"Honey, there's a reason why I didn't acknowledge your Ima and Ari," continued Gibbs softly. "I…"

He stopped. In that split second he made a decision. He wasn't going to lie to her again. He would tell her the truth regarding Ari and Rivka's deaths. Obviously dates would need to be changed, but she deserved to know about her family and, without giving away too much, Gibbs realised he could be fairly honest when it came to how they died.

In that moment of clarity and the silence that followed, Gibbs felt Ziva tense. As he paused to recollect his thoughts, she suddenly moved, rolling over to face him.

"Why Daddy?" she asked quietly, he face full of yearning.

Gibbs sat up. Lifting Ziva, he placed her on his knee so she was sitting sideways. His face accessible should she wish to make eye contact. She did.

"Why Daddy?" asked again, looking deeply into his eyes.

He took a deep breath.

"Since you've been living here, a couple of things have happened. I haven't told you because I didn't want to upset you. But I know now that it was wrong to keep it from you. You deserve to know."

She suddenly looked down into her lap. It didn't take a genius to see that she had anticipated what was coming. Already her eyes were filling with tears. But she remained silent and he took it as his cue to continue.

"Just before you came to live with me, do you remember Ari going on a mission?"

She nodded.

"Well, things didn't go very well during that mission and..., I'm sorry Sweetheart, but Ari was killed on that mission."

Silence.

"How?" she finally asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"He was shot Honey. It was instant and he didn't suffer."

She nodded in understanding and more silence followed as she took in his words.

After a minute or two, this time without making eye contact, she asked, "And Ima?"

"She was killed by a Hamas Suicide Bomber while she was in the market place," replied Gibbs quietly.

"Ima was having a baby. Did the baby die too?"

The tears were now falling slowly down her face and Gibbs had to work hard to control his own eyes from flooding. She was so brave, taking the news almost stoically. A part of him wished she would scream, shout or cry. Give some sort of response other than this controlled acceptance.

"You…you had a little sister Zi. Her name was Tali and yes, I'm sorry, but she was with Ima at the time."

Ziva nodded.

"Tali," she said trying the new word out on her tongue. "I like that name."

More silence.

"Can I see them?" she asked.

Gibbs looked closely at her.

"What do you mean Ziva?" he asked.

"I want to see them. I….I want to see their graves," she clarified.

Gibbs wrapped his arms around her.

"Yes Ziva, I promise you. One day you will see their graves. Right now though, it's too dangerous honey, so is it OK if I see if Abby can get some photos of their graves for you?"

She nodded.

After a few minutes of just sitting on his lap, her breathing almost audible, she hopped down and opened one of the drawers in her desk. Pulling out a sheet of paper, she held it up so he could see the picture. Once again it showed a little girl and an older boy holding hands. Looking carefully, Gibbs could also see the erased outline of a third person.

Acknowledging the picture, he looked up at Ziva. No longer standing strong, she was shaking with silent sobs.

"I…. I….." she began, but the tears took over and the words were not forthcoming.

"Oh honey," he said, taking hold of her and pulling her once again on his lap. She buried her head in his chest and he felt the release as her body shook with the desperate crying. He sat quietly. Holding her close and rocking. She would speak when she was ready.

He gently stroked her hair and waited patiently until the sobs reduced to gasping hiccups and then to pitiful sniffles. When the room was silent again, he felt her shift slightly. Looking down into her face, he waited expectantly.

"I….I can't remember," was all she managed.

"What Honey? What can't you remember?" he asked.

"I can't remember…I've forgotten…what…what…she looks like."

The sobs began anew. But this time, as Gibbs held her close, he had a solution.

"Ziva," he said earnestly as he rocked her gently. "I will get a photo of Ima for you and, if I can, I will find ones of Tali and Ari too. They will be yours to keep forever."

Although still crying heavily, he felt her nod and realised she had heard and understood his promise. Wrapping his arms tightly around her, they sat as one. Her grief was palpable, but at least now Gibbs knew that Ziva had the ability to move on from her previous life and, hopefully, embrace the new.


	10. Let the Celebrations Begin

**Well, that was a long couple of days! Sorry for the delay. I had half this chapter written and then came down with a horrible bug that has kept me in bed for over a week! Anyway, back on track now.**

**Enjoy**

Chapter 10 - Let the Celebrations Begin!

Despite the sadness of the previous day, Sunday dawned bright and new. Ziva had slept with Jenny and Gibbs, both knowing that it was going to be a difficult night for her. And they had been right. Stirring at 6.30am from a night of restless slumber, Gibbs rolled over to see Ziva staring at the ceiling. Leaning in, he put his arm around her and pulled her close, kissing her softly on the head.

"How are you feeling Sweet Pea?" he asked gently, nuzzling into her hair.

"OK," she sighed. "I thought maybe I had dreamed it all, but I didn't, did I?"

She looked up at him, her chocolate eyes wide and hopeful.

"No," said Gibbs simply, kissing her head again. "I'm sorry."

She didn't speak but merely nodded her head in resignation. It would take time. Gibbs was fully aware of that. But he also knew, she would move on. The grief would be difficult, but at least now she knew the truth about her family. She was no longer in limbo, wondering if, or when, she would see them again.

"Hey," he whispered in her ear. "Guess what today is?"

A huge grin crossed her face and she said happily, "Tony's birthday!"

"Yep," replied Gibbs.

"Can I go and wake him up?" asked Ziva.

"How about we let him wake up on his own," suggested Gibbs. "He'll be much happier that way."

"OK," she said, a little disappointed. "What time is everyone coming today?"

"Around lunch time," said Gibbs. "We've got lots to do before then. We need to blow up more balloons, tie up streamers, hang up the Happy Birthday sign and…" he stretched out the word to build the suspense. "There's a surprise coming this morning."

"What!" she asked eagerly, sitting up and facing him.

"Do you promise not to tell?" asked Gibbs.

"Cross my heart and hope to die," she said, performing the ritual with her finger.

Gibbs smiled, "Alright then," he said.

He leaned close to her ear and whispered into it. As he leaned back, he couldn't help but smirk at the wide smile that lit up her whole face.

"Really Daddy?" she exclaimed, bouncing on her knees.

When he nodded in confirmation, she clapped her hands and squealed in excitement. Scrambling out from under the covers, she crawled over Gibbs and, straddling his body, began bouncing on his stomach.

"Yay Daddy," she squealed. "When's it coming?"

"Omph," groaned Gibbs as Ziva landed on a particularly sensitive part of his body.

"How about you stop bouncing on Daddy and I'll tell you," he said.

She immediately stilled. He lifted her up and raised his knees so that she was sitting on top of them. Holding her hands to help support her, he said, "10 o'clock."

"What time is it now?" she asked.

"Too early," grumbled Jenny from the other side of the bed.

Ziva covered her mouth and giggled.

"Good morning Mommy," she greeted cheerfully, and Jenny turned over to face both Ziva and Gibbs.

"Good morning peanut," returned Jenny, still groggy with sleep. Squinting open her eyes, she saw Ziva on top of Gibbs' raised knees. "You're up high," she commented.

In response, Ziva leaned backwards and, still supported by Gibbs who was holding her hands, stretched back. Lifting her legs so that she was forming her body into a ball, she tumble rolled backwards, flipping her body over. Gibbs adjusted his hold on her wrists so they didn't twist painfully. Landing down by his feet, she giggled then crawled onto his knees again, hoping to repeat the move.

"That was fun Daddy, let's do it again," she said.

He indulged her for a few more minutes before sitting up against the headboard and effectively putting an end to the game.

Panting slightly from the exertion of the backward rolls, Ziva brushed back her hair and asked, "Can we wake up Tony now?"

"No need," said Gibbs smiling. He was looking towards the doorway in which stood Tony. Tousled hair, sleepy eyed and pyjama top twisted around his body, he didn't look like an eleven year old. His boyish grin was plastered from ear to ear as he stared at his family.

"Happy Birthday Tony!" yelled Ziva, standing up on the bed and jumping while clapping her hands.

"Happy birthday!" shouted Gibbs and Jenny together.

Tony raced towards them and leaped on the bed, careful to avoid landing on Jenny's legs. The unexpected dip as Tony landed in the middle of the bed, unbalanced Ziva and she crumpled into a heap onto the bed. Having already grabbed Tony's hands, she ended up dragged him down as well and the pair of them rolled in the middle of the bed. Still giggling, Ziva knelt up and began tickling Tony while singing, in perfect Hebrew, 'Happy Birthday to you'.

Jenny and Gibbs leaned forward and tried to rescue Tony from Ziva's fingers by dragging him up the bed and wrapping their arms around him.

"That's enough now Ziva," said Gibbs firmly. "We don't want Tony throwing up on his birthday."

Tony managed to get himself upright and sat himself between his parents, still laughing from the tickle attack. Even when his mother had been alive, he'd never had a birthday greeting like this before. He was loving the attention and the smile on his face reflected his joy.

Jenny wrapped her arm around his shoulder and pulled him close for a cuddle. Kissing him on the crown of the head, she said, "Happy birthday Baby. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes," said Tony, snuggling in, while Jenny continued to hold him.

"My turn," said Gibbs as he put his arm around Tony and pulled his son towards him. Also kissing Tony and hugging him close, Gibbs wished Tony a 'Happy Birthday' before pushing back the boy's messy hair, saying, "So, how does it feel to be eleven."

Tony shrugged.

"Pretty much the same as being ten I guess," he said laughing. "What's for breakfast? I'm starving!"

"Me too!" said Ziva, bouncing on Gibbs' legs again.

Tony moved to get up, but Gibbs held him back.

"Hang on, where do you think you're going Mister?" he asked sternly.

"Errr….to the kitchen?" said Tony, a little unsure of what was happening.

"Nah ah," replied Gibbs. "Not before I do this."

He grabbed Tony's arm and quickly pulled the boy down so that he was lying face down across his lap.

"Daddy!" exclaimed Ziva, shocked at what she was seeing. "What are you doing?"

With Tony strewn across his lap, Gibbs looked at both children.

"Do you mean to tell me, you've never had a birthday spanking before?" he asked incredulously.

Both children shook their heads.

"Spankings hurt Daddy," said a disbelieving Ziva. "You don't give them on people's birthdays."

"Ahh, but birthday spankings are special. They don't hurt. You get them on your birthday to help you make it through the next year."

And with that Gibbs laid down 11 gentle swats to Tony's pyjama clad bottom, counting each one as he did so. By the time he reached 4, Jenny and Ziva had joined in with the counting. As he spanked out number 11, Tony moved to get up.

"One more Tony," said Gibbs. And bringing his hand down a little more firmly, he said, "And ONE to make you grow!"

"Ow," yelped Tony, but as he sat up, Gibbs could see the boy was grinning.

"There you go," said Gibbs, smiling at Tony. "That's a birthday spanking. Wasn't too bad was it?"

"Nah," said Tony. "Don't know that it's gonna help me get through the year though. But I hope the one to make me grow works," he added, grinning more widely.

"Ok then," said Gibbs, clapping his hands together. "Let's get some breakfast! Bacon and eggs or pancakes Tony?"

"Pancakes with bacon and eggs," replied Tony.

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Alright then, just because it's your birthday."

As the four of them headed down stairs, it wasn't until Tony reached the kitchen that he found the next surprise.

"Oh WOW!" he exclaimed as he stood in the doorway leading into the kitchen.

"Do you like it?" asked Gibbs as he stepped up behind Tony and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Do I ever!" replied the boy. He ran forward and stood admiring the brand new bike that was parked in the kitchen. As Tony stared at the shiny chrome and glossy blue paint, he reached out a hand and gently took one of the handlebars. The black plastic fitted perfectly under his fingers. The silver gears sparkled as they caught the morning sun. Tony stood dumbfounded. He had never owned a bike before. He had occasionally ridden bikes belonging to kids in the neighborhood, so he had learned how to ride but, to own his very own? That was something he'd only ever dreamed of.

"It's….It's amazing," he stammered, looking back at his parents. "I just love it. Thank you so much."

He ran forward and wrapped his arms around Gibbs' waist. Stretching out his left arm he tried to hug Jenny as well. She stepped forward so the three of them could embrace in a group hug.

"Thank you," he said again. "It's the best present ever!"

"You're welcome Tony," said Gibbs and Jenny together.

"And after breakfast," continued Gibbs. "You can try it out."

"I can't wait," said Tony.

As he turned to sit at the table, he noticed three more presents stacked in his place.

"More presents?" he asked as he moved around to look at them closely.

Ziva ran forward. "This one is from me," she said, grabbing up a package wrapped in red paper. "Mommy and Daddy helped me to pay for it, but I picked out one of them and Daddy picked out the other."

She handed the package to him and he tore into the paper, pulling it away excitedly. As the paper fell away, Tony found himself holding two DS games.

"I picked out that one," said Ziva pointing to the top game. "It's got Mario in it."

As Tony turned it over he saw that it was Mario Vs Donkey Kong 2.

"Cool Ziva!" he said, putting his arm around her and giving her a hug. "I love it."

"The second game Daddy picked," she said. "He thought you might like it. I've never heard of it."

Putting Mario on the table, Tony turned the second game over.

"Tetras," he read. "I haven't heard of it either."

"Tony," said Gibbs, stepping forward and leaning on the table. "I just know you are going to love that game. I'll show you how to play it later on."

"OK," said Tony. "That sounds good."

He looked around at the other two packages.

"That one," said Gibbs, pointing to a large square box wrapped in a colorful balloon print paper, "is from Grandpa Jack. He was going to wait until tomorrow but then thought you might like it today."

Picking up the large parcel, Tony tore off the paper. Inside was a brand new helmet to go with his bike. It was colored the same blue.

"Excellent!" said Tony. "I forgot about needing a helmet. I'll have to thank Grandpa Jack tomorrow."

Tony looked at the last package.

"And that one is a family present from all three of us," said Jenny, smiling at Tony.

Ziva jumped excitedly as Tony picked up the final package.

"Come on Tony, open it. I want to see what I got ya," she said, making everyone laugh.

For the third time that morning, Tony unwrapped the parcel in his hands. As the present was revealed, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Oh wow," he whispered, laying his hands over the gift as if it were made of precious gold. "The complete DVD set of Magnum PI seasons 1 through 8," he read.

Turning the box set over in his hands, he just stared at it, not believing what he saw.

"Oh wow!" he said again.

"Do ya like your presents?" asked Ziva, still bouncing next to him.

"Yep," said Tony. He looked up at everyone. "Thanks so much. This is the best birthday ever!" he exclaimed.

"The best thing is still to come," announced Ziva. "It's gonna be here at 10 o'clock."

Gibbs turned to put his hand over her mouth but hesitated when he heard her next sentence.

"But I can't tell you what it is because it's a surprise and I crossed my heart and everything," she relayed.

"Can you give me a clue?" asked Tony.

"It's something for outside, but we've only got it for today. And that's all I'm telling ya, so don't ask for any more!" She crossed her arms in a show of finality and Tony laughed at her.

"OK," said Gibbs, interrupting the conversation before Ziva said too much. "Who's for pancakes with bacon and eggs?"

"Me!" came the unanimous response.

By 11.30am, Tony had managed to eat breakfast, get dressed, ride his new bike up and down the street for half an hour, play and conquer the first two levels of Mario Vs Donkey Kong and was now halfway through the second episode from season one of Magnum PI. In fact, he'd been so busy, he hadn't even noticed when Gibbs and Ziva ducked out at five past ten to help set up the surprise in the backyard.

So, when the doorbell rang at 11.35 and Jenny came through the living room saying, "Time to turn off the TV Tony. You're first guest has arrived," Tony was, to say the least, shocked.

"They're a bit early aren't they?" he said as he picked up the remote control.

"It's twenty-five to twelve," replied Jenny, checking her watch.

"Really?" exclaimed Tony. He stood up and was about to eject the disc from the DVD player when he was suddenly grabbed from behind and swung around in a circle.

"Happy Birthday Tony!" yelled Abby into his ear, as she lifted him up and spun him around.

"Abby, watch the furniture," called Jenny as Tony's leg narrowly missed hitting the coffee table.

Putting Tony down, Abby turned him around and gave him a huge 'Abby' hug. Ignoring his suffocating pleas, she only let him go when Tim stepped in and pried away her hands. He then gave Tony a hug and handed him two gifts.

"These are from me and Abby," he said as Tony took the parcels.

"Thanks guys," said Tony. He moved over towards the couch and sat down. Placing the larger parcel on the sofa, he began to open the smaller one.

"Cool!" shouted Tony as held up the box. "Look what I got? It's an iPod!"

Tony stood up and raced to where Jenny and Gibbs were standing. Holding up the box to show them, he danced around a couple of times before running to Tim and Abby and flinging his arms around them.

"Thanks so much!" he said, still bouncing up and down. "How did you know I wanted one?"

"Well, the way you kept asking to borrow mine while we were at the lake cottage gave me a bit of an idea," said Abby laughing.

As Tony moved back to the couch to inspect the iPod, Gibbs sidled between Abby and Tim.

"That's a very expensive gift guys," he said, glaring slightly at the pair.

"Oh phooey Gibbs," said Abby quietly. "He's our little brother and we can buy what we want."

"Yeah Boss," defended Tim. "And anyway, it's to make up for a few birthdays we've missed."

Realizing this was one argument he was going to lose, Gibbs just rolled his eyes and said, "Next year, we're making a limit!" before he stepped away and joined Tony who was now plugging in the iPod to ensure it would be charged and ready for use tonight.

"Don't forget this one," said Tim as he handed Tony the second package. "This one is kind of for today. We thought it might come in handy this afternoon."

Taking the parcel and tearing off the paper, Tony read the title on the box.

"Twister," he said. "Is it a game?"

"Yep," said Abby. "It's a really fun game that we can all play together, even Gibbs!" she added, grinning mischievously at the older man, who simply glared at her yet again, although Abby could see traces of a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth.

"Thank you both so much," said Tony again, putting down the game and giving both Abby and Tim a second hug. "You guys are great."

As Tony pulled out of the hug, Gibbs put his hand on his shoulder and said, "How about you and Ziva go upstairs and put your bathers on."

"Why?" asked Tony.

"It's a surprise Tony," said Ziva, grabbing his arm and trying to drag him towards the stairs. "Don't argue, just do it! Come on!" she ordered.

Giving into Ziva's demands, Tony simply shrugged and followed her up the stairs.

"Assertive little thing isn't she," commented Jenny as she watched the children reach the landing.

"Yeah, just like you," murmured Gibbs in her ear, before playfully swatting her on the bottom.

"Jethro!" admonished Jenny, as the four of them headed into the kitchen.

While the children were getting changed, Abby and Tim helped to cart the snack foods outside to the marquee. Gibbs had managed to attach fly netting to the openings and these helped to protect the food from any curious flying insects. By the time Tony and Ziva had stepped out onto the patio, everything was ready.

Walking towards the patio, the four adults were just in time to see Tony's face as he exited the house. Standing stock still and absolutely speechless, Tony just stared open-mouthed at the sight that greeted him.

Right in the middle of the back yard stood a huge inflatable water side. Standing 12ft high, it rose above the tree house and marquee, towering over everything in the garden. It was yellow, with red and blue stripes. A plastic ladder enabled easy access to the top. From there, descended an inflatable slide which ended in a thick inflatable mat that stretched out on the ground for a further 15ft. It was a cross between a water slide and a slip'n'slide.

Tony was ecstatic. His speechless staring however, was soon interrupted by Ziva who began jumping beside him shouting, "Surprise! Surprise!"

As she ran forward to try out the inflatable contraption, Tony was soon on her heels. As they raced to the top, they could see water pouring down the slide and onto the mat below.

"Where's the water coming from?" yelled Tony to his Dad who was standing below.

"There's a special sprinkler hose inside the slide and there are tiny holes along the edges and the middle to keep the water moving," Gibbs replied.

There was enough room for both Tony and Ziva to sit down next to each other and take off down the slide. As they reached the bottom, the plastic evened out and the pair of them went swooshing along the ground until they reached the end. Giggling helplessly, they stood up and race around to climb the slide again. This time, they decided to go down on their tummies and landed in a rather undignified heap at the bottom, legs and arms in all directions.

"This is so much fun!" yelled Ziva as she and Tony began their third trip. "And the best part is, we don't have to wait for other kids to climb the ladder!"

"Thank goodness for that," retorted Abby, smiling at Tim as she remembered her one and only other slide climbing experience with Ziva.

Grabbing some plastic lawn chairs, the adults sat around, chatting and nibbling on the snacks, while Tony and Ziva made great use of the slide, only stopping when Ducky, Brigette and Jimmy make their way across the patio, presents in hand.

"Hey Duck," said Gibbs, standing up to greet the guests. "Welcome."

"Thank you Jethro," replied Ducky, pulling out a chair for Brigette. "We made our own way in, figured you'd be out here enjoying the sunshine. I put the cake in the fridge by the way," he added with a wink to Gibbs.

"Thanks for picking it up Duck," said Gibbs gratefully. "Didn't think we'd fit that in with everything else."

As everyone stood to greet each other, Tony and Ziva slid across the flat plastic and ran to meet them.

"Happy Birthday Anthony!" exclaimed Ducky. He stretched out to hug Tony but soon changed his mind. "I might wait until you're a bit dyer before I hug you dear boy," he said, laughing at Tony who was now dripping everywhere.

Passing Tony and Ziva their towels, Gibbs waited for the children to dry themselves quickly before joining the adults on the lawn.

Sitting on the grass, Tony excitedly opened his presents. From Ducky and Brigette he received a backyard cricket set, complete with two bats, stumps and two balls.

"Wow, thanks Ducky!" said Tony as he looked over the present. "This is great!"

"You're welcome dear boy," replied Ducky. "It's from both of us."

"Thanks Brigette," said Tony a little shyly. He liked Brigette, but just didn't know her as well and felt a little awkward around her.

She smiled and nodded at Tony, completely understanding his shyness.

Picking up Jimmy's present, Tony unwrapped it quickly and was soon holding the game Yatzee in his hands.

"Excellent!" said Tony, checking out the pictures on the box. "We borrowed this from the toy library and it was so much fun! Thanks Jimmy!"

"You're welcome Tony," said Jimmy.

Across the garden, from the kitchen door, came Jenny's voice.

"The food's all ready but I'm going to need some helpers to carry it out!" she called.

Everyone scrambled to their feet and made their way to the kitchen. Before long, the trestle tables in the marquee were weighted down with a vast variety of party foods. Plates were handed out and filled, drinks were poured and everyone sat down on the lawn enjoying the food and conversation.

As the sun continued to beat down during the afternoon, most adults retreated to the marquee where they were protected from the sun, but could still catch the slight breeze that filtered through. Only Jenny and Gibbs remained outside, sitting on the grass, watching Tony and Ziva as they continued to race up and down the slide.

"I think he's having a good time," said Jenny, grinning proudly as she watched Tony sliding backwards.

"Yep!" agreed Gibbs laughing. "I'm so pleased Ziva is enjoying herself as well. After all the tears last night and the restless sleep she had, I was afraid today was going to be miserable for her."

"Kids are pretty resilient aren't they," replied Jenny. "I know she'll still have moments of sadness and more questions than we can probably give answers to, but at least now she can move on. I actually think it's been good timing. Today has helped to take her mind off things."

"This morning," began Gibbs staring absentmindedly at the children. "While we were watching the slide being erected, she asked me about my Mom and what I remembered about her." He turned to face Jenny. "It got me thinking. All four of us lost our Mothers when we were young. It's something we all have in common and something we can all relate to."

"Kind of sad really," added Jenny. She shuffled her body so that she was sitting in front of Gibbs, his knees drawn up either side of her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she leaned back into his embrace.

"I was thinking about that last night as well," she said quietly. "When you told me about finding some photos for Ziva, I thought it might be nice to get a photo of each of our Moms and put them in a joint frame that we can hang up on the wall. Sort of like a memorial to them I guess. That way we can see them and remember them."

"Sounds good," murmured Gibbs into her ear.

"I remember feeling like Ziva," began Jenny, not making any eye contact. "I was six when my mother died. About a year later, I remember being so upset and finally blurting out to my Dad that I couldn't remember what Mommy had looked like. I was so scared at the time and felt so horrible that I had forgotten. The next morning I woke up to find a framed photo of my mother next to my bed. It was all I needed."

Gibbs felt Jenny lean into his chest. He didn't need to look at her to know that tears would be glistening in her eyes. She so rarely talked about her childhood and past, he almost felt like an intruder to her thoughts. Holding her tightly with one hand, he gently stroked her hair with the other and allowed her to enjoy the privacy of the memory.

When he felt her stir, he knew she was composed again.

"I've asked Abby to see if she can track down a photo of Rivka and Tali when Tali was a baby. And yes, I'll put it in a frame for her as well," he said, kissing Jenny's head while he spoke.

Jenny nodded.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"Mom! Dad!" called Tony from the slide. "Watch us!"

As Jenny and Gibbs looked up, they saw Tony and Ziva at the top of the slide. The two children squatted down and, still on their feet, slid down the slide, keeping themselves balanced perfectly. When they reached the bottom, they both stood and 'surfed' the last section of the slide until they reached the end.

"Well done!" shouted Jenny. She quickly brushed at her eyes and stood up, walking towards the slide and clapping her hands.

"That was very clever, both of you," she said as she approached the dripping children.

Running up to her, both children enveloped her in a bone crushing hug.

"Augh!" she squealed as their wet bodies pressed against her own.

"We got ya, Mommy," yelled Ziva. She pulled away and giggled at the wet patches on Jenny's blouse and jeans.

"You sure did," said Jenny laughing. Bending down she whispered to them, "Go and get Daddy!"

As Tony and Ziva ran screaming towards Gibbs, he jumped up and began running away from them. But, with Jenny's assistance, Gibbs was soon caught and smothered by two very wet children and a slightly wet Jenny. The four of them rolled on the grass laughing and play fighting until Gibbs finally called a truce.

With Tony sitting on his tummy, Gibbs looked up at the flushed face of his son and said, "So, are ya having fun?"

"Dad," said Tony, brushing back his hair from his eyes. "This is the best birthday ever! Thank you so much!" And leaning forward, he lay on top of Gibbs and gave him a huge hug.

Not caring how wet he was, Gibbs wrapped his arms around his son and returned the hug.

"I'm glad Buddy," he said into Tony's ear. "That was what I was hoping for."

By 11.00 that night, Gibbs smiled as he looked around the lounge room. He had two children asleep on his lap. To his right, lay Jenny curled in a ball on the sofa and sleeping soundly. In the armchair, Tim was snoozing with his head on the arm rest, while Abby leaned up against Tim's legs, also fast asleep. And, stretched out on the floor in front of the tv, was Jimmy. Having decided to stay when Ducky and Brigette left after dinner, he had thoroughly enjoyed the evening and spending time with his extended family.

It had been a wonderful day.

The children had spent most of the afternoon playing on the waterslide, only stopping for the occasional snack or to chase some unsuspecting guest to give them a wet hug. They even managed to catch Ducky unaware who, despite his age, returned the chase and managed to get in a couple of playful swats to two very wet bottoms. The children squealed when Ducky managed to catch them, completely surprised by his attack. Abby, Tim and Jimmy then ran to Tony and Ziva's defence and, as Ducky managed to escape the assault and seek refuge with Brigette, Gibbs and Jenny, it wasn't long before the younger three adults were completely soaking wet. Looking down at themselves, they conceded defeat and, figuring they were already wet, decided to join Tony and Ziva in sliding down the water slide.

It didn't take long for them to dry out, especially after a couple of vigorous games of Twister in the warm afternoon sun. Ziva amazed everyone with her flexibility and managed to win three out of the four games, only losing the fourth because her leg was too short to reach the last dot called.

Yes, the day had been a wonderful success thought Gibbs. Tony had enjoyed every minute, right up until he had fallen asleep, cuddled in his father's arms, tummy filled with pizza and cake, and eyes too sleepy to watch the end of the movie. In fact, looking around the room, Gibbs concluded that all his family had enjoyed the day.

Standing carefully, he lifted Ziva gently into his arms and carried her upstairs to bed. By the time he returned for Tony, the adults in the room were just waking up. Gibbs smirked at them all, as he lifted Tony and took him upstairs. As Tony laid his head on his Dad's shoulder, Gibbs reflected that Tony would soon be too big to be carried to bed. As much as he was pleased to see Tony growing and maturing, it also saddened him that these moments would soon be lost. Making the most of it now though, he wrapped one arm under Tony's bottom and rested the other against Tony's back, allowing the boy to sleep peacefully in his arms.

As he entered Tony's room, the boy stirred. Kissing him on the head, Gibbs said, "Hey Bud, time for bed."

Tony nodded groggily and allowed Gibbs to help him change into his pyjamas. Sliding into the bed, he rolled onto his side and looked up at his Dad.

"I love you Dad," he said, still half asleep. "I've had the best birthday ever."

"Love you too, Buddy," said Gibbs, brushing back Tony's hair and kissing his forehead.

As he turned to switch off the light, Tony stirred and said, "Dad, thanks for adopting me. It's so good to know I'm a real Gibbs now."

Stepping towards the bed again, Gibbs smiled down at Tony. Combing through the boy's hair with his fingers, Gibbs said, "And I couldn't be prouder having you as my son. You and Ziva are the best things to happen to me and I love you very, very much."

He stood and watched as Tony snuggled down and quickly fell asleep. Bending down, he kissed Tony once again, then turned and quietly left the room.


	11. Meeting Grandpa Jack

**A huge thank you to all of you who are taking the time to review. It means so much to me to read your thoughts and really does keep me inspired. **

**In answer to LAG0802, yes a marquee is one of those party tent things. I often have to stop and think before I write something and question what it might be called in the US. In fact, my most used search phrase is 'what do American's call..." lol! Because the story is set in the US, I try to call things the same as what the characters would but sometimes it's really hard. The amount of times I have had to change Mummy to Mommy! But, please feel free to ask if I have used any words that you are not sure about and I will endeavor to change them if I can. **

**Enjoy**

Chapter 11- Meeting Grandpa Jack

Gibbs sat bolt upright. The echo of the piercing scream was eerily audible in the dark, stillness of the room. As his mind registered the sound, he threw back the covers and was already at the bedroom door when a wailing cry sounded from Ziva's room. Only half aware that Jenny was right behind him, Gibbs ran down the hall, into his little girl's bedroom and flicked on the light. Next to the bed, arms hugged around her body, stood Ziva. A wild, terrified expression on her face, eyes large and fearful, body trembling and a wet puddle pooling at her feet.

Watching her carefully, Gibbs could see that she wasn't fully awake. Her eyes were glazed and stared blindly in front of her. Suddenly she crouched, covering her face with her hands, flinching from an unseen enemy. Her feet began to kick wildly, while she cried out, "Mommy! Help! Mommy!"

Turning to face Jenny, Gibbs said anxiously, "Go to her, she needs you right now."

Jenny approached gently, tentatively, as if she were approaching a wild animal that was injured. In some ways, she was.

"Ziva," she whispered softly. "Ziva, it's Mommy. You're having a bad dream."

This was repeated over and over as Jenny forced her voice to get slightly louder each time. On reaching Ziva, she sat down next to her and continued calling, reaching out very carefully to touch Ziva's back. Once she had established contact, she began rubbing calming circles, all the while, calling Ziva's name and reassuring her who she was.

Within a few seconds, although it felt like hours to Jenny, Ziva finally turned her head in the direction of the calming voice. Her eyes blinked, focus returned and she suddenly launched herself into Jenny's arms.

"Oh Mommy, Mommy," she cried as she clung tightly to Jenny's sleep shirt.

Wrapping her arms protectively around Ziva and holding her close, Jenny looked up at Gibbs.

"Jethro, can you run a bath please?" she asked quietly.

Without speaking, Gibbs nodded and left the room.

Jenny continued to cradle Ziva as the little girl slowly regained her bearings. Her heart was beating so hard, Jenny could feel it thumping against her own chest. Rocking gently, she whispered soothingly in Ziva's ear and continued to stroke her back and hair, calming her down and helping to settle her breathing.

"What's wrong?" ask a voice at the door.

Looking up, Jenny saw Tony standing in the doorway. Still half asleep, he swayed slightly as his eyes tried to adjust to the bright light.

"It's OK Tony," replied Jenny. "Ziva just had a nightmare. We're with her now, you can go back to sleep."

"Is she OK?" he asked groggily.

"She's fine Baby, off you go," said Jenny calmly. She hoped that Tony was groggy enough to just fall back asleep. As she watched him turn and head back down the hall, her attention fell to Ziva again.

"I wet myself," whispered Ziva. "I didn't mean it."

"Shh," soothed Jenny, "It doesn't matter. Daddy's running us a bath and we can soak and relax for a while."

Ziva didn't respond but continued sniffling into Jenny's chest. Her wet pyjamas were now soaking through Jenny's sleep pants and she worried that the little girl would get cold.

"Done," said Gibbs, standing in the door way. "Do you need any help?"

"I think I've got it," replied Jenny, bracing herself against the bed so as to help her stand while still holding Ziva. Finally upright, she felt Ziva wrap her legs around her waist and rest her head on her shoulder. Still rubbing the child's back, Jenny carried her into the bathroom.

Stripping off both their clothes, Jenny leaned Ziva against Gibbs while she quickly climbed into the bath, thankful that Gibbs had thought to fill it extra full knowing that she would be supporting Ziva. When she was settled, Gibbs lifted Ziva into the bath and the little girl found refuge once again in Jenny's arms, relaxing as the warm water enveloped her body, the skin to skin contact providing more comfort than even Jenny realized.

Gibbs sat down on the floor, the bath mat giving him some insulation from the cold tiles. He leaned up against the tub, resting his hand on Jenny's shoulder and occasionally brushing his fingers through Ziva's hair.

After a few minutes, Jenny spoke softly above Ziva's head.

"Can you tell me what the dream was about honey?" she asked.

Ziva took a deep, shuddering breath and nestled closer into Jenny's chest.

They waited. Both Gibbs and Jenny knew that Ziva would speak when she was ready.

"I d-don't want you to s-stay here wh-when we g-go and see Grandpa J-J-Jack," Ziva stammered. She wasn't making any eye contact. Instead, her focus was fixed on the gentle movement of the water next to Jenny's thigh.

"Why honey?" asked Jenny.

"B-B-Because Abba might c-come and k-kill you."

Jenny wrapped her arms tightly around Ziva for extra reassurance.

"Is that what your dream was about?" she asked quietly.

She felt Ziva nod.

"Why do you think Abba will try and kill me?"

Ziva shrugged.

"Honey, I know it's hard to trust these things when it's dark and scary, but Mommy will be fine. I'll be at work with many people whose job it is to keep me safe. And, sweetie, Abba has no reason to want to kill me. He doesn't know that I'm your Mommy now. He just knows that I'm the boss of NCIS. So, although he may come to Mommy's work, it will be just to ask questions about where you might be and…"

"No!" screamed Ziva, interrupting Jenny and making both her and Gibbs jump. "You can't stay there! You have to come with us!"

"I can't honey, I'm sorry," replied Jenny, trying to sound comforting, yet firm.

"But if he finds out you're my Mommy, he'll kill you," cried Ziva, her heart rate rising again.

"Why?" asked Jenny.

"Because you're my Mommy, and that's what happens to Mommy's," wailed Ziva. "All Mommies die, Daddy's Mommy, and Tony's and yours and Ima and even Abby's Mommy died. I asked her at Tony's party. I don't want you to die. You can't stay here, you can't!"

By now Ziva had worked herself into a frenzy. Sobbing, she clung desperately to Jenny's arms and tried to wrap her legs around Jenny's waist, putting as little space between them as possible.

Her eyes stinging, Jenny held tightly to the little body attached to her and allowed herself the luxury of tears. Not tears for her own loss, but tears for the broken child in her arms. A primal, maternal urge swelled in her heart and, in that moment, she would have moved heaven and earth to stop her child from hurting. In fact, she knew, without any shadow of a doubt, that she would kill to protect her child. There was no way in hell Eli David was going to tear her away from the treasured gift she had been charged to raise.

On his knees in an instant, Gibbs held both his girls. Cradling them as best he could and wondering how the hell he was going to help Ziva through this one. He had to take her and Tony to Stillwater and, he knew, Jenny had to stay in DC. If their plan had any chance of succeeding, these two things were crucial.

The time ticked by. The silence only broken by Ziva's sobs.

As the sobs reduced to sniffles, and the water began to cool in the tub, Jenny stirred. She sat back, enabling a small distance between her and Ziva and allowing her to see Ziva's head clearly.

"Not all Mommies die Ziva," she said firmly. "In fact, most children have their Moms right up until they have their own children and the Moms become Grandmothers. I know it's not like that in our family, but I guess we are a bit unusual like that."

She felt Ziva stir and knew the little girl was listening intently.

"Timmy's Mom is still alive, and so is Jimmy's. And look at Ducky's Mom, she is a very old lady. And honey," she lifted Ziva's chin so that they could make eye contact. "I plan on being a very old lady before I die. In fact, I'm going to be so old, you and Tony will have to cart me around in a wheel chair because my legs will have stopped working."

The small giggle that erupted from Ziva was like music to her ears.

"That's my girl," said Jenny softly, as she brushed away the tears. "I know how scary it must feel to you and it's OK to be scared. I was scared when my Mommy died too. But that doesn't mean that the same thing will happen to me. Ima lived in a dangerous country, where people were fighting with each other. It's different here, and I feel safe in my home and out in the streets. Daddy and Tony's Moms got very sick and that's why they died. We can't control those things, but like I said, I certainly don't plan on going anywhere until I'm so old, even my wrinkles will have wrinkles."

Again Ziva smiled. She looked up and ran her finger over the corner of Jenny's eyes. "You mean like these wrinkles?" she asked innocently.

Gibbs snorted and Jenny gave him a quick glare.

"They're my laughter lines, honey," she added quickly. "When they get much deeper, they'll be wrinkles."

"Oh," said Ziva, nodding her head seriously and accepting every word as truth.

"But the thing is," continued Jenny, changing the subject quickly. "I have to stay here while you, Daddy and Tony go and visit Grandpa Jack. It's the best way to keep you and Tony safe. And you have to trust that I will be safe as well. I'll have Abby, Tim, Ducky and Jimmy to look after me as well as all the people who work at NCIS. I'll be fine Peanut, and I will ring you every day. OK?"

"You promise to ring?" asked Ziva.

"Cross my heart and-"

The rest of the sentence was cut off as Gibbs clapped his hand over her mouth.

"Not appropriate under the circumstances I think," he said gruffly.

Ziva giggled. She knew exactly what the rest of that sentence was and also understood why her Daddy and stopped Jenny from saying it.

"Well I don't know about you," said Jenny, looking down at Ziva. "But this water is getting cold and my bottom is getting sore from sitting in this tub for so long."

Ziva nodded.

"Shall we get out now and get dressed and snuggle in bed?"

"Yep," said Ziva smiling.

"Alright then," said Gibbs standing up. "Let's get you both out of here and into bed."

He reached down and lifted Ziva out of the bath. Wrapping her in a towel, he let her warm up, before taking Jenny's hand and helping her out as well. Handing her a towel, he leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips, whispering, "Well done," as he pulled away and began drying Ziva.

****NCIS****

It was 1pm when Gibbs pulled up outside the Stillwater Genera Store. Tired, but exceedingly pleased to be here, Gibbs switched off the engine. Turning to the back seat, he smiled at the two sleeping children. It had been a long morning and he wasn't the least bit surprised both of them had slept most of the way.

The 6am alarm had come around far too quickly in Gibbs opinion. Having managed to get both Ziva and Jenny back in bed by 4.30, he had just dozed off when Tony came wandering in and crawled into bed with him as well. Shuffling over to make room, Gibbs was once again thankful he and Jenny had made the decision to purchase the king sized bed after trying out the one at the lake cottage.

From six o'clock onward, every little task seemed to take twice as long. Although more reassured that Jenny would be fine to stay home on her own, Ziva was still apprehensive and, added to two restless nights in a row along with a big day yesterday, she was extremely tired and grumpy.

"I don't want that," she grumbled, as Gibbs put down two slices of toast in front of her.

"You just said you wanted toast," replied Gibbs.

"Yes, but not that toast," argued Ziva. "I don't like the bits in it. I want the smooth bread."

"Well we don't have any smooth bread at the moment," said Gibbs. "I bought the wrong one so you'll have to put up with multigrain."

"Yuck!" said Ziva, staring disdainfully at the now cold toast in front of her.

"I'll eat it," said Jenny, rushing in for a quick breakfast.

Shaking his head in frustration, Gibbs took a deep breath before asking Ziva, "Well, what do you want for breakfast then?"

"Toast! But not that stuff," she insisted.

"Ziva, that's all the bread we have," replied Gibbs firmly. "So you either eat that, have cereal or go hungry. The choice is yours."

Huffing loudly, she kicked her legs against the chair before saying grumpily, "Cereal."

"Pardon?" asked Gibbs.

"Cereal," she said a litter louder.

"You're forgetting something," reminded Gibbs.

"Please," she grumbled.

"Thank you," replied Gibbs, before turning around and taking a bowl out of the cupboard and placing in front of the now sulking five year old.

And sadly, things didn't improve much from that moment on.

Tony was also not immune to his father's wrath. When Gibbs went to check on him to ensure he had correctly packed everything he would need, he found instead, an empty suitcase and a missing Tony. Searching through the house, Gibbs caught sight of Tony outside and discovered his son had sneaked out for a quick couple of laps of the driveway on his new bike. Ushering the boy inside with a stern talking to, Gibbs had followed Tony upstairs to ensure the packing was complete before the boy disappeared again.

By the time 8.30 ticked over, Gibbs and the children finally appeared ready to go. Bags were packed and stored in the trunk, Tony's bike had been secured on the back of the car and both children stood ready, each holding a bag of toys and snacks to get them through the four hour journey.

Hugs and kisses were exchanged along with copious 'I love you' and 'I'll miss you' before Gibbs was finally pulling out of the drive. Even he had found it hard to say goodbye to Jenny. He knew they would all miss her. But, if everything went to plan, he hoped that Jenny might be able to join them on the weekend.

And, now, four and half hours later, Gibbs was parked outside the store that had consumed so much of his childhood memories. Opening the car door, Gibbs heard the familiar tinkle of the bell as the door to the store opened and his father stepped out onto the pavement.

Many said that Gibbs was just like his father. Both had piercing blue eyes, a rugged handsomeness that seem to only improve with age, and a subtle strength that commanded respect.

"Dad," greeted Gibbs as Jackson stepped forward.

"Leroy," returned Jack, nodding acknowledgment of his son.

The greeting, though appearing stilted and cold to any outsider, did in fact hold an air of familiarity and comfortableness that only the two Gibbs' men could understand and see. Stepping closer, the father and son embraced, patting each other affectionately on the back.

"Missed you Dad," said Gibbs softly into his father's ear.

"Missed you too, Son," replied Jack. "It's good to see you again."

Breaking out of the hold, Jack stepped back and peered into the backseat of the sedan.

"What did ya do to 'em?" he asked, noting that both children were slumped towards the middle of the seat

"Nothing!" replied Gibbs defensively. "They fell asleep on the way. We've had a rough couple of days, but I'll fill you in later. Come and help me get your grandchildren into the store so you can say a proper hello."

Opening the back door of the car, Gibbs gently nudged Tony. The boy stirred and scrubbed at his eyes. Blinking to adjust to the bright sunlight that filtered through the window, he looked up at his Dad.

"Hey sleepy head," said Gibbs. "There's someone here who wants to say hello."

Turning his head to look over his Dad's shoulder, Tony could see an older gentleman grinning at him.

"Hi Grandpa Jack," he said, smiling broadly. He quickly undid his seat belt and stepped out of the car. "Thanks for helmet for my bike. It's really cool and I've already used it heaps."

Tony stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Jack. Slightly taken aback by the boy's affection, Jack quickly regained his composure and returned the hug.

"Well, you're most welcome Tony. I'm glad you liked it," he said, as the boy let go and stood next to Gibbs.

Holding out his hand in a more formal greeting, Jack said, "It's nice to meet you Tony. You're every bit as handsome as I thought you'd be."

Shaking the older man's hand, Tony blushed and grinned.

"So you're my grandpa hey," he said, looking deeply into the blue eyes. "You have eyes just like my Dad."

"No," replied Jack. "Your Dad has eyes just like me."

"Oh yeah," said Tony, realizing his mistake.

"Come on you two," said Gibbs, now holding a sleeping Ziva in his arms. "Let's go inside before half the town comes out to say hello."

Stepping through the door, Tony stared around the general store. Having grown up in the city, he had never come across a store like this, one that sold a little bit of everything. To his right was a stand containing a variety of tools, ahead were shelves which housed a myriad of cans, bottles and jars. In the center of the room stood a wooden table surrounded by chairs and, to the left, a shelf of videos and DVDs. Continuing to pan the room, Tony then noticed the large counter and his sharp eyes spotted a huge array of candy. But, it was above this counter that Tony's eyes were next drawn.

"Is that a gun?" he asked, spotting the Winchester hooked on the wall.

"Yes," said Gibbs. "And that gun is strictly out of bounds. I was never allowed to touch that Winchester and the same goes for you and Ziva. Are we clear on that?"

Gibbs sudden sternness surprised Tony. He didn't realize the gun was kept loaded for protection and couldn't understand why his Dad was so insistent.

"Did you ever touch it?" he asked, looking at his Dad.

"Nope," said Gibbs firmly.

"Why not?" asked Tony.

"Because Grandpa Jack would have taken a belt to my backside if I had even so much as looked as if I was going to touch it," replied Gibbs, the sternness never wavering.

Tony's eyes grew wide and he stared at first his Dad and then his Grandpa.

"I could shoot that gun," came a small voice from under Gibbs' chin.

Realizing Ziva was awake and listening to the conversation, Gibbs placed her on one of the chairs so he was almost eye to eye with her.

"I want both of you to listen to me very carefully," he began, making sure he had both children's attention. "That gun is not to be touched by either of you and I'm going to tell you why. It's up there for protection should Grandpa Jack ever need it in a hurry. Therefore it is kept loaded. Because of how high it is, you would both need a chair to reach it, so I know it would not be an accident should I see either of you touching that gun. Now, I want a promise from both of you that you will never go near it."

Both children nodded solemnly.

"I'm going to need to hear you," reminded Gibbs.

"I promise Dad," said Tony sincerely.

"I promise too Daddy," said Ziva, "Even though it looks really fun to shoot."

Gibbs glared at her before he heard his father say.

"Leroy, why don't you just promise them a whippin'? Worked on you didn't it?"

He was startled by the sharp intake of air that came from each child.

"Because Dad," replied Gibbs quietly, while still keeping eye contact with his children. "Tony and Ziva have never lied to me and I know when they make a promise they mean it. Don't you?"

"Yes Sir."

"Yes Daddy."

It was then that Gibbs realized there was so much information he still needed to pass onto his father. He would have to make sure they made time tonight. With both of his children's abusive histories, the last thing he wanted was Jack threatening then with a belt spanking. While Jack had never been abusive, in his generation a belt was a common tool of discipline but, to Tony and Ziva, it had been an instrument of torture.

Now that he was sure the gun issue had been dealt with, Gibbs lifted Ziva into his arms again and turned to his father.

"Dad, this is Ziva. Ziva, this is your Grandpa Jack. Grandpa Jack is my Daddy."

Jack held out his hand for Ziva to take. When she did, he lifted it to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"What a pleasure to meet such a beautiful young lady," he said, charm oozing from every word. "My, my, you are a pretty darlin' aren't you."

Any reservation Ziva may have held for this man who threatened whippings with belts, was soon forgotten. Giggling shyly she buried her head into Gibbs chest, and stared coyly at the gentlemen before her.

"May I have the next cuddle?" asked Jack as he held out his arms for Ziva.

Allowing Jack to take her, she squealed as he twirled her around once, before stopping in front of Tony and Gibbs and holding her high, his arms securely around her legs.

Gibbs smiled. He knew his Dad would be a hit with the children.

"Well then," said Jack, holding Ziva and stretching his arm around Tony's shoulders. "I think it's time we fed these youngsters some lunch. What do you think Leroy?"

"Sounds good Dad," replied Gibbs.

"Grandpa, why do you call Daddy Leroy? Mommy calls him Jethro," asked Ziva.

Tony nodded. He'd been wondering the same thing.

"Well," began Jack. "Your Daddy was named after a great friend of mine, Leroy Jethro Moore. He and I started this store many years ago. I've always called your Dad Leroy but his Mother called him Jethro. I guess people then have the choice of which name they would prefer."

"I prefer Daddy," said Ziva seriously.

"I'm sure you do pumpkin," said Jack.

"My Daddy and Mommy call me that too sometimes," replied Ziva. "And Sweet Pea and Honey and Peanut. They must think that they can eat me or something."

Smiling indulgently at the five year old, Jack carried her out to the back of the store. Following behind, Tony and Gibbs soon found themselves in a small kitchenette which served as a staff room for any workers.

"So, how about some pastrami, cheese and lettuce sandwiches for lunch?" suggested Jack, putting Ziva down and opening the fridge.

"Yes please!" shouted Ziva.

"Can I just have pastrami and cheese on its own?" asked Tony.

"No, I'm afraid the pastrami only comes with lettuce," replied Jack, taking out the ingredients and handing several things to Gibbs.

Tony stared at his Dad.

"Told ya," said Gibbs, smirking at Tony.

Tony just shook his head. Must be a 'Gibbs' thing he thought to himself.

****NCIS****

Jackson Gibbs lived in a small, three bedroom house attached to the back of the store. So, once lunch had been eaten, Gibbs and the children quickly grabbed their things from the car and took them through the store to the house at the back. Sorting out the bedrooms, Gibbs put the children his own childhood room. It was the biggest and sported two single beds. The third bedroom, a small double, he took for himself.

After showing the children where the bathroom was, the three of them headed downstairs. Standing in the living room, Tony spotted a box hooked up to the TV.

"Is that Cable?" he asked excitedly. "Grandpa, do you have cable?"

"Sure do," replied Jackson. "I need something to fill in my nights when the store is closed."

"Oh wow! Look Ziva, Cable," said Tony, pointing to the TV.

"What's Cable?" asked Ziva.

"It's 500 extra channels Zi," replied Tony. "It's like heaven in a box!"

"It's not that great Tony," said Gibbs shaking his head in amusement.

"Are you kidding?" exclaimed Tony. "Why don't we have cable?"

"Because, we don't need it," replied Gibbs. "There's enough channels on normal TV without having to pay for extra channels that we'd probably never watch."

"I'd watch 'em," said Tony.

"You watch enough TV as it is Tony," remarked Gibbs. He put his arm around his son. "Come on, let's get your bike off the back of the car and I'll point out all the places you can ride without supervision."

Suitably distracted by the promise of parent free bike riding, Tony willingly followed his Dad and Ziva back through the store and out to the car. Once the bike was unhooked, Gibbs looked down the street.

"OK," he began. "As far as the main street goes, you can ride up and down along here so long as you watch out for pedestrians and you don't cross the road."

Tony sighed.

"But that's hardly anywhere Dad," he complained. "I'm old enough to cross the road by myself."

"Not this road Tony," replied Gibbs firmly. "It's the main road through the town and there are sometimes trucks and speeding cars. Neither of you ever crosses this street without an adult with you. However..." He walked Tony and Ziva to the top of the street and, when they turned left he said, "You can go all the way around this block."

They continued walking to the next corner and turned left again. Fairly soon they came to the front of Jackson's house.

"Now, this is the front of Grandpa's house," explained Gibbs. "And," he pointed across the road. "Across there is a large space with many bike tracks. As long as you tell me you are going for a ride Tony, you can cross this street on your own and go into the park. Now Ziva, you can only cross this street if you are with Tony or an adult. You don't cross this street on your own, understand?"

"But that's not fair," she whined. "Tony's allowed to go on his own."

"That's because Tony is eleven years old and you are only five," stated Gibbs sternly. "You don't cross this street on your own, OK?"

"OK," she grumbled.

Looking down at his youngest, Gibbs' gut told him that this was one rule Ziva was possibly going to disobey. He could see it in her eyes. He knew when Ziva felt she was being babied or treated unfairly, she would try anything to prove that she was more capable than they thought. The road was exceptionally quiet, being a local road for access to the three houses along the street. It could go hours without a single vehicle on it, sometimes even days on the weekend. However, this didn't stop Gibbs wanting to lay down the ground rules and Ziva needed to learn to listen and obey, regardless of whether she agreed or not. Yep, thought Gibbs, he could see his youngest testing him on this rule before the week was out. Hoping his gut was wrong, Gibbs continued explaining the rules.

"Once you are in the park, you can explore the bike tracks as far as they will go. There are miles of them. They are all dirt tracks and they cross and weave throughout this whole area. So long as you remain on the track, without crossing a second road, you can ride anywhere you want."

Tony looked across the street at the park. It wasn't like any park he'd seen before. It was a huge expanse of wooded area and bush land. There was a small playground towards the left and what looked like a pond further into the trees.

"Wow Dad! Was this here when you were young?" Tony asked, still staring ahead at all the different areas he could explore.

"Pretty much," replied Gibbs. "There were more wooded areas and the playground wasn't there, but other than those two things, yeah, it was pretty much the same. I used to ride in that area all the time, exploring different places. Sometimes, during the summer, I'd be out all day until I could hear Mom calling me in for dinner."

Tony looked up at his Dad. He had that far away look of happy contentment on his face when one is reminiscing about a time when they felt safe and loved.

"Can we go over there now?" Tony asked,

Pulling out of his childhood reverie, Gibbs looked down at the two children. He quickly checked his watch.

"Alright," he said finally. "But, you are to stay together. Only short rides Tony so that you can keep checking back on Ziva if she's playing on the playground. As soon as one of you wants to come home, both of you come back, understood?"

"Yes Dad," replied Tony.

"Ziva?" Gibbs looked down into Ziva's face.

"But what if I want to come home and Tony's riding far away somewhere?" she asked.

"Tony won't be riding far away today because I've just told him to stay close to you." Gibbs reminded her. "I mean it Ziva, if you cross this road on your own, I will spank your bottom. Is that clear?"

Ziva let out a long, over dramatic sigh.

"Ziva!" warned Gibbs.

"Yes, I understand," she grumbled. "But I'm old enough to cross the road by myself. There hasn't been a single car on here for the whole time we have been standing here," she argued.

"I don't care Ziva," replied Gibbs. "I have given you a rule and I expect you to obey it. Maybe in a day or two we can look at how to cross a road safely, and, if I feel you have mastered the task, I may rethink the rule. But for now, unless you want a very sore bottom, I'd suggest you obey me on this one."

Huffing again, Ziva crossed her arms and said no more.

"So, are you going to go to the park with Tony or not?" asked Gibbs.

When she didn't answer but continued pouting, Gibbs looked at Tony and said, "Looks like you're on your own Bud."

Tony nodded and was about to mount his bike, when Gibbs laid a hand on his shoulder.

"No Tony. Always walk your bike across the road. You can mount it when you reach the other side," he reminded.

Nodding his head again, Tony stood at the curb and, despite that fact that there wasn't a single vehicle in sight, made an exaggerated effort to look both ways before wheeling his bike across the road. Once on the other side, he mounted quickly and took off down one of the tracks shouting, "See ya!" as he disappeared around a corner.

Looking down at the sulking five year old, Gibbs said, "Come on then, let's go and get the car and we can drive it into Grandpa's garage."

He reached down to take her hand, but she pulled away.

"No," she said grumpily. "I want to go to the park."

"You had a chance to go to the park with Tony but you refused to answer. Now you've missed your chance," replied Gibbs firmly.

"But why can't you take me across the road?" asked Ziva.

"Because I need to get the car and unpack our things," said Gibbs. "Once I've finished doing that, then I can take you to the playground."

"But I want to go now," she whined, gearing up into tantrum mode.

"No Ziva," said Gibbs calmly. "Now, I'm going to go and get the car. You can stay here if you want, or you can go inside through that door." He pointed out the front door of Jackson's house. "Or you can come with me. What are you going to do?"

She sat down hard on the pavement and crossed her arms, refusing once again to answer.

"Fine," said Gibbs, trying hard not to laugh at her outraged demeanor. "I'll be around with the car in a minute. Remember what I told you about that road," he added sternly.

She didn't reply, but simply sat, Indian style, arms crossed with the biggest pout on her face. Shaking his head, Gibbs turned and walked back to the corner. As he rounded the street, he inwardly prayed she would still be there when he returned. He really didn't want to begin their time with Jack by having to discipline Ziva.

As Gibbs pulled the car into the driveway, he smiled. Sitting in the old rocking chair on the porch was Jackson and Ziva. Stepping out of the car, Gibbs climbed the steps and looked down at the pair.

"I found this little stray sitting all alone on the pavement," said Jack, winking at his son. "So I thought we should bring her in and give her a big glass of lemonade."

Gibbs turned to the little table next to the chair. Sure enough, there stood two empty glasses. He shook his head and smiled.

"You're an old softie Dad," said Gibbs. "You would never have put up with that behavior from me."

"That's the privilege of being a grandpa Son," said Jack. "You don't have to be the bad guy."

Wrapping his arms around Ziva and giving Gibbs a knowing smile, Jack settled back in the chair and began to rock gently. Gibbs bent down and kissed Ziva on the head.

"I think your Grandpa is going to spoil you, young lady," he said, watching as she snuggled into Jack's chest. "But, I guess that's what Grandpa's are for," he added, before turning and heading into the house.


	12. Slackening the Reins

**Thanks again everyone for the reviews. You are wonderful.**

**Enjoy**

Chapter 12 - Slackening the Reins

"Well Leroy, I reckon you've met your match in that one," said Jackson, taking a seat in his favourite arm chair.

"Mmhmm," acknowledged Gibbs.

He was standing at the living room window, watching Ziva skip along the pavement. Every so often she would stand still, look across at the play ground, look back at the house then resume her skipping. He knew it was driving her crazy. Her rebellious nature was simply daring her to cross the road but thankfully, so far, the threat of a spanking was holding her back.

Giving her the benefit of the doubt, he moved away and took a seat on the sofa.

"Nice couple of kids there Leroy," commented Jack.

"Yeah," agreed Gibbs. "They've come along way Dad. Both of them have had a tough start to life. Tony's life has been one of neglect and abuse at the hands of his father, and Ziva?" Gibbs simply shook his head. "I don't think many five year olds would have even survived what she's been through."

"Doesn't make sense to me, how a parent can abuse their own flesh and blood," remarked Jack.

"Nope, me neither," agreed Gibbs.

Standing up again, Gibbs stepped through to the kitchen and poured himself and his father a cup of coffee. Returning to the living room, he handed a mug to Jack before taking another quick peek out the window. Relieved to see Ziva still on this side of the road, he took a seat on the sofa again.

"I need to explain a couple of things to you, Dad," began Gibbs, before taking a sip of coffee. "Both Tony and Ziva have had bad experiences with adults using belts or other objects as a means of discipline. I have never, nor ever will, use anything except my hand to spank them. In fact, with Tony, Jen and I are tending to move away from spanking now and are implementing grounding. I'm just letting you know so you don't threaten them with a belt or paddle. I know you never used them abusively, but to those two, any object is a sign of abuse."

Gibbs took another sip and eyed his father cautiously, hoping he would understand the situation.

Jackson shook his head. "Not my place Leroy," he said simply.

"Huh?" asked Gibbs.

"It's not my place," repeated Jack. "I don't intend to lay a hand on either of them. You're their father, I'm their Grandpa. You discipline, I spoil."

He looked at his son and grinned.

"Leroy, I spent too many hours trying to keep you in line. Never worked anyhow," he said with snort of laughter. "But with those two, I'm not even going to try."

"Dad, they'll run riot!" exclaimed Gibbs. He was openly shocked at his Dad's response. He felt for sure he would be the strong disciplinarian as he had been with him as a boy.

"Especially Ziva! You give her an inch, she'll take a mile," continued Gibbs. "What if you're looking after them and she starts testing you?"

"I'll ground her pint sized butt to the store until you get back," replied Jack. "Don't get me wrong Leroy. I'm not about to take sass from either of them, but when it comes to physical punishment, I'm afraid that's your job Son."

Gibbs nodded.

"Yep, that's fine," agreed Gibbs. "But I'm gonna need you to implement the time-out procedures should either of them need it and I'm not around."

"So what's this time-out thingy all about?" asked Jack.

As Gibbs explained the system, Jack listened carefully. When his son was finished, he nodded in agreement.

"Not a problem," said Jack. "I can do that if needed."

They sat in silence for a minute or two before Jack said, "So how is our little rebel going out there? Still on this side of the road?"

Gibbs stood up and glanced out the window. For a minute he thought Ziva had disappeared but, as he looked closely, he could see her sitting on the curb, elbows on knees and chin resting in her palms.

"Only just," he said.

Finishing his coffee, Gibbs headed through to the kitchen, saying as he walked, "I think I might go out there and take her across to the playground. Hopefully that will satisfy her for now."

As Gibbs stepped onto the pavement, Ziva turned around. Seeing who it was, she stood up and said, "Can you take me to the playground please?"

"Sure thing Sweet Pea," he replied, smiling down at her and clasping her hand. "I'm very proud of you for resisting temptation and not going across the road," he added before leading her to the other side.

"I still think I can do it on my own," she grumbled, not quite ready to drop the matter just yet.

"Be that as it may, I have given you a rule and I expect you to obey it," reminded Gibbs.

"Yeah, I know," she said, sighing dramatically.

Feeling her tug at his hand, Gibbs let go and watched as Ziva raced towards the playground. He smirked when the first thing she ran to was the tallest climbing frame available. He was just about to take a seat on a nearby bench when he heard two voices talking loudly to each other. One of the voices he recognised immediately. Staring through the trees, it wasn't long before Gibbs saw Tony emerge. Riding next to him was another boy on a bike. As the two approached the playground, Gibbs watched them carefully. He immediately recognised the familial features of the second boy.

"So you've lived here all ya life then?" Gibbs heard Tony say.

"Yep," replied the boy. "Us Johnson's have been here for generations."

"I think my Grandpa has been here a long time too," added Tony. "But I don't know for sure. Oh, hi Dad,"

The boys had just reached the playground when Tony looked up and saw Gibbs standing there. Using their brakes and sliding to a stop, Tony grinning up at his Dad.

"Dad, this is Rory Johnson," introduced Tony. "He's lived here all his life."

"I know," replied Gibbs looking at the boy. "I knew your grandfather, Rory."

"Did ya?" asked Rory.

"Yep. Went to school with him," added Gibbs.

He looked at Tony.

"So, you've been exploring the area?" he asked.

"Yep!" said Tony. "It's excellent out here. And Rory was saying there's some old mines further out. Can we go and explore them as well?"

"Not on your own," replied Gibbs. "They're too dangerous."

"Yeah, that's what my Dad says as well," said Rory, shuffling his feet in the dirt. "But they're not really. Me and Dylan sneak out there heaps and we've never been hurt."

Gibbs eyed the youngster in front of him. Of all the boys for Tony to meet, it had to be Billy Johnson's grandson. Billy's ancestors had been one of the first families to settle in Stillwater and, once the coal mines opened up, they became one of the original mining families. Coal mining was a tough life and families often lived pay packet to pay packet. Boys were taken out of school as soon as they were old enough to mine and therefore, often lacked an education. In fact, according to Jack, Billy's father had barely made it through elementary school before being dragged down the mines. The family lived rough, talked rough and had little respect for authority. Somehow Gibbs doubted the trend had changed much since Rory had been born and, judging by his latest comment, his doubts were confirmed.

"Well Rory, that's up to your Father to sort out, but as far as Tony is concerned, the mines are out of bounds," stated Gibbs sternly. He stared at Tony who blushed and looked away.

"Awe, come on Mister, they're not that bad," retorted Rory. "Me and Dylan, that's me brother, we go down 'em all the time. We have a secret group that meets in one of the mines. Can't Tony come to that?"

Tony looked at his father hopefully.

"Nope," said Gibbs firmly. "And you shouldn't be going down them either Rory. I thought most of them had been boarded over."

"Yeah, but we just pull 'em off," said Rory brazenly. "Dylan and Matt are real good at smashing them up."

"I bet," remarked Gibbs under his breath. "And who's Matt?" he asked.

"Matt Tucker. He lives near the station," explained Rory.

"Jason Tucker's kid?" asked Gibbs.

"Yeah, that's the one," replied Rory. "So how come you know everyone? What's your name?"

"Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs," said Gibbs, smirking ever so slightly when Rory swallowed noisily.

"You a cop or something?" he finally asked.

"Sort of," replied Gibbs. "I catch liars and thieves, murderers and bullies. Make sure they pay for their crimes, usually in Jail," he added casually.

It was no mistake that Gibbs was being deliberately blunt. If he managed to put the wind up Rory Johnson and instil a little fear, all the better.

He did notice Tony look away again though and made a mental note to talk to him later when they were alone. While he didn't want to embarrass Tony, he was also going to make damn sure Tony didn't hang around with the likes of the Johnsons' and Tuckers'. Their idea of fun was usually either dangerous, against the law or, more than likely, both.

"Well, I gotta be going," said Rory, mounting his bike.

Tony followed suit and was just about to ride off with Rory, when the boy called out, "I'll be seeing ya later Tony," before riding off along the road and disappearing around the corner.

"Way to go Dad," said Tony scornfully. "Could you have made it any more obvious that you didn't like him?"

"I don't like him Tony," replied Gibbs calmly. "The families are trouble and they'll lead you into trouble."

Tony rolled his eyes and tuttered under his breath.

"Look Tony," began Gibbs, seeing how annoyed the boy was. "I don't mean to pick your friends or say who you can or can't play with, but…"

"Well that's what you just did!" said Tony angrily. "First friend I make and you're telling him you put liars and thieves in jail."

"That's what I do Tony," replied Gibbs. "That's my job."

"Yeah, but do you have to announce it to everyone," said Tony, still annoyed at being embarrassed in front of Rory.

"Tony, there are plenty of other boys in this town. You'll make other friends," consoled Gibbs. "I don't want you hanging around with the Johnsons or the Tuckers. And I definitely don't want you going anywhere near the mines. Is that clear?"

When Tony refused to answer, Gibbs lifted the boy's chin and repeated himself, a little more sternly the second time.

"I said, is that clear Tony?"

Tony shrugged out of the hold and, swinging his bike around, he quickly mounted and took off, calling back, "Sheesh, I can't have any fun. May as well be locked in my room."

"I can arrange that if you continue this attitude," yelled Gibbs as he watched Tony disappear along one of the tracks.

"Hmmm, I see Tony is just as stubborn as Ziva," commented Jackson from behind Gibbs.

Gibbs turned around and faced his Dad.

"How long have you been standing there?" asked Gibbs.

"Long enough to see Rory Johnson hightail it back home," replied Jackson. "So how did those two find each other?"

"Dunno," said Gibbs, heading off towards the bench to watch Ziva. "Must have met in the woods, they both came out together. I told Tony I don't want him playing with the Johnson's or the Tucker's."

"Yeah, I heard," said Jack, taking a seat on the bench next to Gibbs. "Well, if he's anything like you, it'll be a sure fire way to ensure the Johnson's and the Tucker's are just who he will hang out with."

Gibbs turned and glared at his father.

"You can glare all you want Son," said Jack calmly, unaffected by the steely stare. "Didn't you learn anything growing up? Tell a boy Tony's age he can't do something and he'll sure as hell make it the first thing he does."

In the silence that followed, Jack saw Gibbs' shoulders slump slightly.

"Yeah, I know," said Gibbs finally. "I screwed up."

"Yep!" replied Jackson.

Giving his father another glare, Gibbs soon turned it into a smirk. His Dad was right and he was wrong. He just wished Jack wasn't so blunt about it.

'Well that's the pot calling the kettle black,' thought Gibbs to himself.

"So what do I do?" Gibbs finally asked.

"That's for you to sort out Son," said Jack. He patted Gibbs' knee before standing and heading over to the swings to give Ziva a push. "I had to and I'm damn sure you were more difficult than Tony."

Gibbs watched as his father bent down to say something in Ziva's ear before pulling the swing back and letting it go. He smiled as he watched Ziva's face burst into a laughter as she swung higher and higher with each push.

Standing, Gibbs called, "You right to bring Ziva home, Dad?"

"Can do," shouted Jack, giving Ziva another push.

Making his way along the track down which Tony had taken off, Gibbs decided to go for a walk. His hope was to find Tony and have a chat but, should he not be successful, he knew the walk would do him good regardless, a chance to think things through and try and come up with a solution.

Thinking about it, he knew banning Tony from seeing Rory Johnson was a mistake. Of course it was only going to make Tony feel angry. And, as Gibbs knew all too well, that anger then turns to defiance. By forbidding Tony, he'd all but dared him to disobey. What he needed to do was to try and introduce Tony to some boys around town that didn't flout the law. There had to be a few. It was the summer holidays so surely they would be out and about. Thinking back to his own generation, many of whom were still in the district, there had to be many sons and grandsons out there. It was just a matter of finding them, hoping they were the right age and introducing them to Tony without the boy feeling like he was being set up.

Yeah, easy, thought Gibbs sarcastically.

Rounding the corner, Gibbs spotted Tony not far ahead. He had abandoned his bike and was sitting on a rock just to the left of the track, his face turned in the opposite direction.

As Gibbs approached, Tony turned and, making eye contact, stood ready to mount his bike again.

"Tony, wait," called Gibbs.

The boy hesitated. Then, knowing there was no point in riding off, laid his bike down again and resumed his seat on the rock.

Reaching Tony, Gibbs spied a second boulder to the left of his Son and perched himself on top.

"I'm sorry Tony," said Gibbs, cutting straight to the chase. "I had no right to embarrass you like that nor should I say who you can or can't play with."

Tony looked up in surprise. Whatever he was expecting his Dad to say, it hadn't been this. Too stunned to speak, he let his Dad continue.

"It's hard for me to hand over control sometimes," continued Gibbs, now that he had Tony's attention. "I saw Rory Johnson and I immediately saw trouble, which probably wasn't fair to either of you. And then I handled it badly. You're right Tony, it wasn't fair and I should trust you enough to allow you to pick your own friends."

Gibbs rubbed his hands on his thighs. It wasn't that apologising was difficult. He had been wrong. It was the thought of giving the control to Tony that made his palms sweat. The boy needed to form his own opinions and make his own mistakes, and better he do that here in the safe confines of Stillwater, instead of as an adult trying to make a living. Still, slackening the reins somewhat was difficult no matter how he justified it.

"So," began Tony tentatively. "I can hang out with Rory?"

"If you want to," replied Gibbs. "But I want you to hear me out first. You need to know both sides of the story and then it's up to you to make the choice."

Tony nodded. That was fair enough he thought. Giving eye contact to his Dad, he listened as Gibbs filled him in on some of the more unsavoury activities conducted by the likes of the Johnson's and the Tucker's. As each story was told, Tony became less enthusiastic about his desire to hang around with Rory, but his pride was still smarting. He wanted to prove to his Dad he could take care of himself. And, there was still that tiny streak of rebellion that surfaced. He had felt embarrassed and angry by his Dad's actions and, despite not wanting to admit it, there was a part of Tony that desired to hang out with Rory simply because his Dad didn't really want him to.

When Gibbs finished talking, he looked at Tony.

"So, there's the truth. It's up to you to decide what you want to do with it," said Gibbs.

"I want to see Rory," replied Tony stubbornly. "He was nice to me and I think it would be mean to just ignore him."

"Ok," conceded Gibbs.

There was really not much else he could say. He had given Tony the choice and Tony had chosen.

"However," said Gibbs, "There is still one rule that is not up for debate. And that is, the mines are out of bounds."

"Oh, but Dad," began Tony.

"No," said Gibbs sternly. "Those mines are dangerous. They were boarded up for a reason. If the likes of Rory Johnson and his brother choose to break through the barriers, they are risking their lives. But they are not my responsibility. You are. The mines are out of bounds. Clear?"

Looking down Tony huffed slightly.

"Tony," warned Gibbs. "I've been fair about letting you hang out with Rory. Now you need to compromise somewhat as well. The mines are out of bounds."

"Yeah, OK," grumbled Tony.

"I want you to promise me that you will not go near them," said Gibbs, looking directly into Tony's eyes.

"I promise," mumbled Tony.

"Thank you," replied Gibbs. He stood up and stretched. "Well, I'm going back to the playground to see how Grandpa and Ziva are getting on. You coming?"

"Nah, I might just ride for a bit longer," said Tony, leaning down and picking up his bike.

Gibbs watched as the boy took off again along the path. He felt better having talked things through and, although Tony still insisted on seeing Rory, at least he knew the facts. And Gibbs wasn't stupid. He realized that most of the motivation behind Tony's desire to see Rory was simply to prove a point but, nether-the-less, he had given the boy a choice and now he had to trust that Tony would do the right thing.

As Gibbs made his way back to the playground, he noticed it was empty. Taking a quick look around, he couldn't see Ziva or his Father. Assuming they had gone home, Gibbs took the path back to the road. He was just about to step off the curb, when he heard running footsteps behind him.

"Daddy!"

He turned around and saw Ziva running towards him. Her face flushed with excitement. Reaching him, Ziva held up her arms wanting to be picked up.

"Hey Pumpkin," said Gibbs, lifting her up and settling her on his hip. "What've you been up to?"

"Me and Grandpa went for a walk and look what we found?"

Opening her hand, she showed him a somewhat squashed selection of blackberries.

"Blackberries," said Gibbs. "Hmmm, where did you find those?"

"Over there," she answered, pointing towards the wooded area. "Grandpa has more. He went home and got a bucket. He said we could maybe have them for dessert with ice-cream."

"Sounds good to me," replied Gibbs, hoisting her up a little. He watched as his father, bucket in hand, appeared from one of the tracks and waited for him to join them.

Ziva popped the last remaining blackberries into her mouth, wiping her purple stained hands over her jeans.

"And Grandpa showed me which berries are OK to pick and which ones aren't. Some of them are poisonous," Ziva announced dramatically. "I used to know the poisonous berries in Israel but it's a bit different here.

"Well I'm glad Grandpa showed you the difference."

As Jack reached them, Gibbs placed Ziva on the ground and took her hand. Turning her towards the road, he cleared his throat.

"Now Ziva, when we come to a road, what must we do?" asked Gibbs.

"We stand at the curb and we look both ways to make sure there isn't a car coming. If it's clear we can cross the road," she parroted.

Jack smirked. His son had obviously been through this with her before.

"Do we run so we can cross quickly?" asked Gibbs.

"No, we walk in a normal way," replied Ziva.

"And what if there is a car coming?" continued Gibbs.

She gave a deep, condescending sigh and Jack turned away so as not to be caught laughing.

"We wait until the car has passed," she said in a monotone voice.

Gibbs was about to ask the next question but was interrupted when Ziva continued, "And then we check both ways again before we cross. I know what to do Daddy. I'm not a baby," she replied scornfully.

Gibbs elbowed his father in the ribs when a distinctive snort was heard in that direction.

"I know you're not a baby, but roads are dangerous places and I need to keep you safe," replied Gibbs, once his father had managed to control himself.

"Alright then, off you go. Show me how you can cross a road," encouraged Gibbs.

The three of them were on the other side in a few seconds, partly because Ziva went through the stages perfectly and partly because there wasn't a vehicle in sight.

"Can I do it on my own now?" she asked hopefully.

"Maybe tomorrow," replied Gibbs. "I want to see you do it with me a couple more times."

Sighing once again, Ziva didn't argue. Tomorrow was better than never and hopefully she could prove her abilities in the morning.

As the three of them entered the front door of the house, Jackson made his way through to the store. He had left Charlie in charge while he'd spent some time with Ziva. Charlie was one of the town's high school students. Nearing 17, he was a trustworthy boy who often dropped into the store to volunteer sometimes or to just have a chat.

"Thanks Chuck," called Jackson, as he spied the young man tidying the magazines on the stand.

"No problem Mr Gibbs," replied Charlie.

Jackson Gibbs was the only person Charlie permitted to call him Chuck. He hated the nickname but, when it came from Jackson Gibbs, it didn't seem all that bad.

Giving the older man a wave, Charlie headed out the store, the familiar tinkle of the bell resounding through the store and beyond.

"Is that second hand store still open on the corner?" asked Gibbs as he wandered into the store.

"Was last time I looked," replied Jack. "Why?"

"Thought I might see if I can pick up a cheap watch for Tony," said Gibbs. "If he's going to be taking off through the day, I need to make sure he has a time to come home by."

"Got a couple of cheap watches here Leroy," said Jack, moving towards the back corner of the store. He pulled out a basket that contained a handful of plastic watches.

"Pick one out," he said, handing the basket to Gibbs.

"Thanks Dad," said Gibbs, as he rummaged through the selection.

Finding a black one, he checked it was going before keeping it and handing the basket back. Going to the till, Gibbs rung it up and dropped in the money before closing the drawer.

"I didn't mean you had to buy it," retorted Jack. "I meant you could have it."

"Yeah, I know Dad," replied Gibbs. "But I'm not just taking stuff because you have it. I'll pay like everyone else. Candy and the odd soda is one thing, but not items like this."

Shaking his head, Jack put the basket back and made his way to the table in the middle of the room. Taking the paper, he sat down and began to read.

Gibbs sat down next to him and fiddled with the watch, setting it to the right time. The silence was comfortable as both men occupied their time.

"Why do you have a new watch?" asked Ziva, destroying the quiet as she meandered in from the back.

"I don't, it's for Tony," replied Gibbs, not looking up from his task.

"Can I have one?" asked Ziva.

I don't know, can you tell the time?" asked Gibbs. Truth be told, he had no idea as to whether or not Ziva could still tell the time. He knew she was good with numbers but time was a different concept to arithmetic.

Rolling her eyes, she grabbed the watch and stared at the dial. Handing it back she said, "3.52" before crossing her arms in a show of complete confidence in her ability.

Standing up, Gibbs went back to the basket of watches and rummaged through until he found one with an analogue dial. Bringing it back to the table, he handed to Ziva.

"What time does that one say?" he asked.

After glancing at it quickly, Ziva looked up and said, "A quarter to 7 or 6.45."

"Well done," said Gibbs slightly surprised in her ability. "OK then. I guess you can tell the time. This one OK?" he asked, holding up the red watch he had just tested her with.

"Is there purple?" she asked.

Gibbs smiled.

"Dunno, go and check," he said.

She skipped to the back corner and pretty soon returned with a pale purple plastic watch. It was digital, but seeing as she could convert analogue to digital, Gibbs assumed she could do the reverse.

She began to unwrap it but Gibbs stopped her.

"Hang on, we have to pay for it first," he said. He also didn't want Tony and Ziva assuming because their Grandpa owned the store, they were welcome to take anything they wanted. He was thankful when his Father didn't argue or comment.

Once the watch was paid for, Ziva took it out of the plastic wrapper and put it around her wrist.

"It doesn't fit," she said, disappointment clearly evident.

Looking at it, Gibbs had to agree. It almost doubled around her tiny wrist.

"Easy fixed," said Jack, getting up and going around the back of the counter. He pulled out a small tool kit.

"Over here Missy," he called to Ziva.

When she came to him, he took her hand and placed the watch around it. Grabbing a pen, he marked a spot before taking the watch from her. Ziva watched as Jackson laid the plastic on the counter and, using a small hammer and nail, punched a new hole into the band. Bending down, he wrapped it around her wrist again, securing it properly. The left over band dangled ridiculously so, picking up a pair of sharp scissors, Jack snipped off about two and a half inches of plastic.

"There you go," he said, smiling down at Ziva.

"Wow! Thank you Grandpa," said Ziva. She stared at her new watch which, less than a minute ago, had been too big.

"You work fast!" she added.

"No point messing about. If it needs doin' best to get it done," replied Jack as he quickly put away the tool kit and made his way back to the table. In no time he had resumed his reading. Gibbs, grabbing a second paper, followed suit.

Ziva sidled up to Gibbs and laid her head on his arm.

"When's Tony coming home?" she asked.

"Dunno Sweet Pea," replied Gibbs, turning over a page.

"Can I go and find him?"

"No, he'll come home when he's ready."

Gibbs turned another page and Ziva sighed.

"But I'm bored Daddy," she whined. "What can I do?"

Closing the paper, Gibbs looked down at his little girl. It wasn't often she was left on her own and he guessed she missed the company. An idea hit him and he pulled Ziva onto his lap.

"How about you and I take a walk down to the second hand store and see if there are any things in there that might keep you occupied?" he asked, smiling down at her.

"Yes please!" she said, bouncing excitedly on his lap.

Standing up, Gibbs placed Ziva on the floor and took her hand.

"Won't be long Dad," said Gibbs as he led Ziva to the door.

Jack grunted in reply as the familiar ding signaled Gibbs and Ziva's departure.

When Gibbs and Ziva returned forty minutes later, they entered the store just as Jack was finishing up serving an elderly gentleman. As the old man turned around, he looked at Gibbs and a smile of recognition lit his face.

"Leroy," he said, holding out his hand for Gibbs to shake. "I haven't seen you around these parts for quite some time."

"Hey Mac," replied Gibbs, shaking the older man's hand. "Yep, it's been a while."

Looking down at Ziva, Mac said, "And who might this pretty lady be?"

"Mac, this is my daughter Ziva," replied Gibbs. "Ziva, this is Mr McKinley. He's lived in Stillwater all his life."

"That's a very long time Mr McKinley," said Ziva innocently. "You must really like it here."

"Oh I do young lady," replied Mac. "But you must call me Mac. Only strangers call me Mr McKinley."

Ziva smiled and nodded her head.

Turning around, Mac tossed a couple of coins on the counter.

"Get us a couple of them candy sticks Jack," he said, pointing to a jar of long sticks of coloured candy.

Taking the lid off the jar, Jack picked out four sticks and placed them in a paper bag. Giving the bag to Mac, he wasn't surprised when he saw the older man pass the bag to Gibbs.

"For the little lady when she's allowed to have 'em," he said, winking at Ziva.

Ziva clapped her hands together and smiled. "Thanks Mac," she said politely. "I'll share them with my brother. He's out riding his bike somewhere."

"That's sounds right generous of you. I knew you were a proper young lady the minute I laid eyes on you," said Mac, giving Ziva a second wink. "Right then, I'm off. Be seeing ya Jack."

Nodding goodbye to Gibbs and Ziva, Mac shuffled out of the store.

"Can I have one now Daddy?" asked Ziva, eyeing off the bag.

"After dinner," replied Gibbs. "Why don't you show Grandpa what we got at the store?"

"Oh yeah," she said, before running outside. Seconds later she returned, wheeling a small bike. It was painted red and had rainbow tassels dangling from the handlebars.

"Look what we got Grandpa," she called excitedly. "It's a bike!"

"I can see that Missy," replied Jack. "I guess there'll be no stopping you now."

"Nope," said Ziva. "And it only cost fifteen dollars!"

"Well, that is a bargain," said Jack, coming around the counter and having a closer look. "So, can you ride it?"

"Not quite yet," said Ziva sighing. "But Daddy's gonna help me and pretty soon I'll be able to ride all over the place."

"How about you take it through to the house and park it in the garage?" suggested Gibbs, stroking a hand over Ziva's head.

"Yep, OK," she replied, taking the handlebars and wheeling it through the back door.

Watching her disappear, Gibbs smiled and took a seat at the table.

Sitting next to him, Jack said, "That was a good find."

"Yeah, apparently it just came in yesterday," said Gibbs. "Old Mrs Dobson didn't have a clue how to price it. Tried to sell it for five bucks but I couldn't take it for that. So I gave her fifteen. She was happy enough."

"I bet," retorted Jack. "She always did have a soft spot for you."

Choosing not to comment, Gibbs stood and headed towards the door.

"Coffee Dad?" he asked, as he stepped through to the house.

"Thanks Leroy," called Jack. "Make sure it's strong Son."

Entering the kitchen, Gibbs grabbed the coffee. His Dad was the only other person he knew on this planet that like his coffee as strong as he did.

"And bring us one of them pies Mrs Hannigan made," shouted Jack.

"You'll ruin your dinner Dad," replied Gibbs.

"Hey, who's the Father here? If I want a pie, I have me one!"

Gibbs smiled and rolled his eyes. It was good to be back.


	13. A Rebel's Remorse

**Thanks again to my faithful reviewers. I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. I would love to hear from more of you if you get the chance. I hope you are still enjoying this story.**

Chapter 13 - A Rebel's Remorse

"Look Tony!" yelled Ziva from across the street. "Look what I got!"

Tony had just emerged from the woods and was now making his way down the track to the road. Looking up when he heard Ziva call, he smiled at what he saw. Wobbling furiously while trying to pedal, Ziva was slowly making her way up the pavement on a small red bike. Not far behind her was his Dad with a hand held out ready to grab the bike should it look as if it was going to tip over.

Dismounting, Tony carefully crossed the road and waited for Ziva to make her return trip.

"Did you see me?" asked Ziva excitedly. "Daddy and I went to the second hand store and we found this bike. It only cost $15 and I can nearly ride it!"

"Way to go Shrimp!" praised Tony affectionately.

"And Daddy bought me this red helmet so I'd be safe," she said, tapping her head with her knuckles.

"Looks good," said Tony.

"So we could maybe go for a ride tomorrow?" asked Ziva hopefully.

"Yeah, maybe," replied Tony. He had been hoping to spend some time with Rory tomorrow to try and smooth things over. "But you've got to be able to ride properly though. The track is pretty rough in some places."

Encouraged by the thought of riding along the bike track with Tony, Ziva carefully sat on the seat and set off again while Tony made his way inside.

"Let me go on my own Daddy," she called, just as Gibbs was about to follow her.

Stopping suddenly, Gibbs looked on as his daughter made her way towards the corner. She was going quite well and had managed about fifteen yards before the wobbles set in. Quickening his step to try and reach her, he was almost there when she toppled over, falling heavily on her elbow.

"Ouch," he heard her hiss and watched as she grabbed her arm and cradled it for a few seconds, before standing up and mounting her bike again.

"You OK sweet pea?" Gibbs asked as he reached her side.

"Yep," she answered. "It's only a little bump. I'm OK Daddy. I've gotta learn how to do this so I can ride with Tony tomorrow."

He watched with admiration as she tried over and over again to make it from one corner to the next. Each time she fell, she would pick herself up and start again.

With Ziva no longer wanting his assistance, Gibbs decided to go inside and see how Tony was getting along. Finding the boy sitting on the sofa in front of the TV and currently flicking through the many channels he now had available, Gibbs took a seat next to him.

"Did you have a good ride?" he asked, staring at the flickering pictures as Tony surfed the channels.

"Yeah," replied Tony. "Wasn't as much fun by myself though."

"Well, tomorrow you may have Ziva with you," said Gibbs.

"That's not what I meant," retorted Tony.

"Yeah, I knew what you meant," said Gibbs. "I just don't want you to forget you have a little sister who would like to play with you as well. She missed you today."

Gibbs tried to make eye contact with Tony, but the boy's eyes were firmly fixed on the flickering channels. Finally finding a channel showing old Looney Tunes cartoons, Tony put the remote down and curled up on the couch.

"Did you hear me?" asked Gibbs.

"I heard," mumbled Tony. "I'll go for a ride with her tomorrow morning, OK?"

"She'd appreciate that," replied Gibbs.

Realising he wasn't going to get much more out of Tony, Gibbs stood up and left the room. When Tony was in one of his moods, it was best just to let him work through it himself.

Thankfully the rest of the evening went without incident. Tony, somewhat cheered by Jack's famous meatloaf, chatted further about his intentions to meet with Rory tomorrow. Although not entirely pleased by the boy's decision, Gibbs realised he had to trust Tony to make the right choices and, as a result, tried to join in with suggestions of things the boys could do.

Never one to miss anything, Ziva sensed that her father was not happy about Tony playing with Rory and she decided she would bring it up while having her bath.

When Ziva arrived in the bathroom in her underwear, pyjamas tucked under her arm, Gibbs was shocked to see the many bruises and scrapes that covered her body.

"Ziva!" he exclaimed, as she stood waiting for the bath to fill. "What happened to you? You look like you've been tossed down a mountain side."

Checking herself over, she simply shrugged saying, "I guess I fell a few times riding my bike. But I did it Daddy! And now I can go with Tony tomorrow," she added excitedly.

Before responding, Gibbs took her arm and gently turned her around. Her knees and elbows were covered in dry blood and there were bruises covering her thighs and shins.

"Sweetheart, these must really hurt," he said, turning her back to face him. "Didn't they hurt when you fell?"

She shrugged.

"Mmmm, kind of I guess," she said. "But I wanted to learn how to ride properly so I just blocked it out."

"What do you mean by 'blocked it out'?" he asked, frowning slightly.

"Well, I just…" she paused and he could tell she was trying to find the words. "I just ignore it and make myself think it's not there," she finally answered. "It's hard to explain."

"Ziva," began Gibbs gently. "You don't need to do that anymore. Pain is a good thing. It tells us when we should stop something. It's our body's way of talking to us. If you block it out, you could really hurt yourself."

"But I didn't Daddy," she replied, her brown eyes wide. "I used it to help me learn how to ride my bike. I did it in one afternoon. That's good isn't it?" She looked up at him, waiting for confirmation that her actions were commendable.

"It's great that you learned how to ride your bike," affirmed Gibbs. "But it's not good that you allowed yourself to get this hurt. Next time just take things slowly and let me help you a bit more."

"But I'm strong Daddy," she argued. "Needing help is weakness. And I'm not weak!" She crossed her arms in defiance. "I thought you'd be proud of me," she added, looking directly into his eyes.

"I am proud of you pumpkin," replied Gibbs firmly. "I'm always proud of you. I don't care if it takes you a week to learn how to ride a bike. The fact that you are giving it a go is what makes me proud, not how quickly you can do something."

"Well, it didn't take me a week," she said, a note of finality in her voice. "It took me just one afternoon. Er, Daddy, I think you better turn off the water before the bath starts to leak."

Turning abruptly to look at the bath, Gibbs quickly turned off the taps. Feeling for the plug, he began to release some water but not before Ziva had stripped and climbed in. Watching the water slosh over the sides, Gibbs inwardly berated himself for getting distracted.

"Ziva," he reprimanded slightly. "Why didn't you wait until I'd let out some of the water?"

"Because I wanted to see how it felt to be in a really full bath," she said smiling. "And guess what? It's cool!"

"Yes, I'm sure it is. Stand up a minute," he commanded.

"Why?" she asked, suddenly suspicious.

"Because I need to let some water out and the less of you that's submerged, the lower the water level with be," he answered.

Suddenly realizing why she had hesitated, he grinned and said, "Why? Did you think I was going to smack your bottom?"

"Maybe," she replied coyly.

"Guilty conscience hey!" he said in mock sternness.

When the water level had dropped somewhat, Ziva sat down again and allowed Gibbs to wash her hair.

"Daddy, why don't you like Tony's friend?" she asked, as he put the bowl down after rinsing the suds out.

"What makes you say that?" he asked. Her ability to read people was so astute, even at this age.

"I could just tell," she said simply. "So why don't you like him?"

"It's not that I don't like Rory, it's just that I don't like some of the things he and his friends do," replied Gibbs. "They sometimes make bad choices and get themselves in trouble. And, I don't want to see Tony get into trouble if they talk him into doing something that is wrong or dangerous."

"What kinds of things do they do?" she asked.

Lathering more soap in his hands, Gibbs thought carefully before answering.

"Well," he began, carefully washing the dirt and dry blood from her arms. "They've been talking about going to the mines and the mines are really dangerous places. I don't want Tony going there because he could get badly hurt."

"Do you think Tony would?"

She stood up, allowing him access to her legs so he could gently clean the scrapes she has sustained.

"I would like to think he wouldn't seeing as he gave me a promise," said Gibbs, indicating she could sit again. "But sometimes when we want to impress our friends, we do things we wouldn't ordinarily do, to make ourselves look brave, or to be accepted."

Ziva nodded.

"Tony would be in big trouble if he went to the mines wouldn't he?" she asked.

"Yes he would," replied Gibbs. "But, you don't need to worry about that," he added, tapping her nose affectionately. "Tony makes his own choices. And, if he makes choices that he knows are wrong, then he's the one who has to live with the consequences. Now, are you ready to hop out?"

"Yep" she replied, standing up.

Wrapping her in a towel, he had to smile when he heard her say, "Daddy, could I maybe have a bandaid for my knee. It does kinda hurt a bit."

****NCIS****

The next morning, Tony made good on his promise and asked Ziva if she'd like to go for a ride with him. Squealing with excitement, she raced through the house and was ready and waiting at the front gate in less than two minutes.

"Thanks Tony," praised Gibbs as Tony stood and made his way to the garage. "Keep an eye out for her, won't you?"

"I will," promised Tony.

Following them out, Gibbs watched as the pair safely crossed the road. He smirked as he listened to Tony explain the rules.

"Now, you need to stay close to me at all times," he began. "No riding off ahead. If you come to a corner, stop and wait for me. No going off the track and NO going near the lake. Got it?"

"You're not Daddy, Tony," Ziva grumbled.

"No, but I'm the one in charge so you do as I say," retorted Tony. "Otherwise we come straight back home and I go by myself."

"Stop being a bossy boots!" she began, but was pulled up by Gibbs.

"Tony's right Ziva," he said firmly. "He's in charge and you do as he says."

Scowling furiously, Ziva gave Tony a perfect death glare, before nodding slowly and agreeing.

"OK then," said Tony with a sigh. "Let's go."

Gibbs watched as the two of them mounted their bikes and headed down the track to the woods. He had to admit, despite the scrapes and bruises, Ziva was riding her bike perfectly. As the pair disappeared, Gibbs turned around and headed back inside to help his Father in the store.

After about forty-five minutes of riding around the many tracks, Ziva was becoming increasingly tired. When Tony noticed she was riding much slower than she had been, he stopped and waited for her to catch up.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Nothing," she replied, trying not to admit she was tired. "I'm just a bit bored of doing this. Can we go to the playground for a while?"

"Yeah, OK," said Tony. Truth be told, he was getting bored with just riding around aimlessly as well.

On reaching the playground, the two children noticed they were not alone. At the top of the climbing frame sat Rory Johnson. Spotting Tony and Ziva, he descended the frame and began to walk towards them.

"Hey," said Tony.

"Hey," responded Rory.

Tony noticed that he didn't appear as friendly as he had yesterday.

"This is my sister Ziva," Tony introduced. "She wanted to play on the playground for a bit."

Rory looked at Ziva and nodded.

Ziva returned the nod, giving Rory just as cold a look as he was giving her.

"So, what ya doing?" asked Tony.

"Just hanging around," replied Rory. "I probably should get going," he added, making it obvious that he didn't really want to be seen talking to Tony and Ziva.

As he began to walk away, Tony called out.

"Hey! Wait up a minute!"

When Rory paused slightly, Tony turned to Ziva.

"Just stay here for a bit, play on the playground while I talk to Rory. Don't wander off, OK?" he warned.

Rolling her eyes and choosing not to answer, Ziva turned and headed over to the swings.

Tony ran to catch up to Rory.

"Why won't you talk to me?" he asked bluntly.

Rory shrugged.

"Is it because of yesterday?"

Rory shrugged again.

"I'm sorry about my Dad. He sometimes gets like that," began Tony. "But that doesn't mean I…"

"He's a cop Tony," interrupted Rory.

"Not really," replied Tony. "He's a Special Agent for NCIS. He deals with the Navy and the Marines. Not kids and stuff."

"Doesn't matter," said Rory. "He acts like a cop."

Looking around, Tony noticed a bench near the playground. It wasn't facing the playground, but looked out onto the bike track and woods. Knowing Ziva would be fine on the playground, Tony suggested they go and sit down.

Once seated Tony turned to Rory and said, "It's not my fault what my Dad does for a job."

"Maybe," conceded Rory with another shrug. "But how can we trust you? You might go running home to 'daddy' and tell him what we're doing?"

"I wouldn't do that," said Tony. Then, taking a deep breath and trying to sound much braver than he felt, he added, "Besides, I can do what I want."

"Yeah?" questioned Rory sarcastically.

"Yeah!" replied Tony angrily, annoyed that Rory obviously didn't believe him.

"Prove it!" said Rory.

Tony looked at Rory. He knew he'd got himself into a tricky situation, but there was no way he was going to back out now.

"Fine! What do I have to do?" he asked.

"Come with me tonight," dared Rory. "If you really can be trusted, prove it by doing something your Dad wouldn't like."

"Where?" asked Tony, a slight hesitancy showing forth.

"Dylan and Matt found a new entrance to a mine. They're going out there tonight to crack it open. It's pretty old but Dyl says it's real deep and there's train tracks down there."

"How do they know if they haven't opened it yet?" asked Tony logically.

"Because stupid," replied Rory insultingly. "They've been down it from the other end, but it's fallen in and they've never been able to get through it. Well yesterday, Dyl found a second entrance."

Tony hesitated. This was the one thing his Dad had asked him not to do. He'd even made him promise and Tony knew how important that was. But he couldn't say no now. That would just prove to Rory that he couldn't be trusted. Thinking fast, Tony tried to come up with a way he could get out of this mess and still save face.

"Why do you want to go down the mines anyway?" he asked, trying to sound scornful.

"Because they're awesome," said Rory, rolling his eyes. "You can walk for miles, and there's heaps of things you can find."

"Yeah, but they'd all be the same," argued Tony. "Why don't we do something different, something original that Dylan hasn't even done?"

"Like what?" asked Rory.

"Um, I don't know, what else can we do around here?" Tony was beginning to feel hopeful that he may have just managed to convince Rory to try something else.

"Nothing," replied Rory. "That's why we go to the mines. Are you chicken?"

"No," said Tony, a little too quickly. "I just think it would be cool to do something that Dylan and Matt have never done. Something that we can brag about."

"Nah, the only cool thing around here are the mines," stated Rory. "Besides, that's your dare. That's what you have to do to prove that we can trust you."

Damn, he was back onto that again, thought Tony.

Realizing he was stuck, Tony did the one thing he really wished he hadn't. He agreed.

"Really?" said Rory in surprise. "You'll really come with us?"

"I said I would didn't I?" said Tony aggressively.

"OK then. Meet me at midnight at the crossroad near the lake. You know where I mean?" asked Rory.

"Yeah I know," said Tony softly.

"Don't' be late," ordered Rory. "And, if ya don't show, then we'll know you're just a chicken who scared of his Daddy."

And with that, Rory took off.

Suddenly feeling sick with guilt and worry, Tony put his head in his hands and thought hard. What was he going to do? He had to show up. Maybe he could think of some way he could still distract Rory tonight. There had to be something else to do in this town that didn't involve the mines. Something that was really cool and would give them bragging rights. But what? Thinking hard, Tony was suddenly hit with an idea. A haunted house! Every town had one. Surely Stillwater wasn't the exception. If he could convince Rory to explore a haunted house then, just maybe, he could avoid having to go to the mines. He'd still get in heaps of trouble if he was caught, but he wouldn't be going back on a promise.

Deciding that was the only thing to do, Tony stood up and headed towards the playground. He noticed Ziva was sitting on the end of the slide. As he approached she looked up.

"I wanna go home now," she said. "I've had enough here."

"Yeah, me too," agreed Tony.

Picking up their bikes, the two of them made their way back to the road. Once on the other side, Ziva quickly parked her bike in the garage and ran inside, while Tony slowly meandered up the pavement.

He would have to talk to his Grandpa about whether or not the town had a haunted house or building and where it was. Then, this afternoon, he'd have to do some exploring. Believing that his plan might just work, Tony leaned his bike against the garage wall and made his way into the house.

It was well after lunch before Tony got his chance to talk to his Grandpa. He was in the store helping Jack to price cans of beans. Having been shown how to use the stamp, Tony enjoyed rhythmic task of swiping each can, leaving behind a stamped sticker indicating the price.

"Hey Grandpa," began Tony, after finishing his first row of cans. "Does Stillwater have a haunted house?"

Jack paused in his task of stacking the cans on the shelf and looked curiously at Tony.

"You know, like what you see in the movies. An old house or maybe a building that people think it haunted," elaborated Tony.

"Why do ask Son?" replied Jack, resuming his task.

"I don't know, just wondering," said Tony as casually as he could. "I mean, most old towns have one and seeing as Stillwater is pretty old, I thought it might have one too."

"Well," began Jack, pausing again and leaning his hip against the bench Tony was working on. "It's not exactly a house, but legend has it the old bank down the end of the main road is supposedly haunted."

"Really?" asked Tony, his eyes widening in suspense. "What kinds of ghost are in an old bank?"

Eyeing Tony with the same stare his son had inherited, Jack wondered why the boy was suddenly so interested. When the stare elicited no response from Tony, Jack put it down to idol curiosity and decided telling the child the legend wouldn't hurt.

"Well," he began, "Folks say that during the late eighteen hundreds there were some unruly characters around these parts. Times were hard and people struggled to make a living. Apparently, one day, two men rode into town with guns drawn and decided to rob the bank. Stepping through the doors, one of them ordered the few people in there to lay on the floor, while the other forced the teller to fill bags with money. Just when they thought they were going to get away with it, the sheriff arrived with three men and there was a shootout. The two men were captured, but not before the teller and one of the sheriff's men were killed, shot by one of the robbers. Both men were hanged for their crime."

Jack paused and noticed that Tony was listening eagerly to every word he spoke.

"Now, I haven't seen it myself, and, to be honest, and don't really hold much with ghost stories and the like, but some folks have claimed to hear loud voices and gun fire coming from the old bank during the night. Some even go as far as to say they have seen the image of a man standing in the doorway, covered in blood and others believe they have seen faces looking out from the upper story windows. Whether that's true or not, I'm not saying. Certainly not something I've ever seen or heard. But, there ya have it Tony, Stillwater's haunted house."

"Wow Grandpa," exhaled Tony. "That's really cool. So where's the bank? Could I ride to it?"

"Yeah, probably," replied Jack, standing straight again and continuing his task of stacking the shelves. "You'd have to ask your Dad first though. It's on our side of the road, but it's a couple of blocks down."

"I will," said Tony, still awed by the tale.

Putting the stamp down, Tony turned towards the back door.

"Hey," called Jack. "You can finish those first. I've gotta get the whole box stacked."

"Oh yeah, sorry Grandpa," said Tony, coming back to the bench and picking up the stamp.

As he stamped the rest of the cans, Tony's imagination went wild. Surely the prospect of exploring a haunted building would be enough to persuade Rory to avoid the mines. They probably wouldn't be able to get into the building seeing as it was still used today, but they could walk around it and look through the windows. Feeling determined that he would be able to convince Rory, Tony quickly finished his task and went off to find his Dad. Now all he had to do was get permission to go there this afternoon and have a look around.

****NCIS****

By the time the evening came and the four of them were sat watching TV, Tony's nerves had reached a new high. Having been granted permission, Tony had ridden his bike to the old bank. Seeing it in daylight did nothing to encourage his confidence in being able to convince Rory this is what they should do tonight. If anything, it only served to increase his apprehension. The building was nothing less than a square, two story box with windows and a door opening onto the corner of the street. Even as Tony tried to make his way around the stone building, he wasn't in the least impressed. Added to the fact he had suddenly realized Rory would have probably already heard the stories and had most likely visited the building tons of times before, he was beginning to feel less and less confident as the day wore on.

So, by eight o'clock, when Gibbs stood to put Ziva to bed, Tony willingly went too. He was afraid he might end up saying something to arouse the suspicions of his Dad and Grandpa.

"You feeling OK?" asked Gibbs when Tony announced he was off to bed as well.

"Yeah," replied Tony, trying to sound nonchalant. "I've got a bit of a headache so I thought I might listen to my iPod for a bit and have an early night.

"Do you want a headache tablet?" suggested Gibbs, as he led Ziva and Tony up the stairs.

"Nah, I'll be right," replied Tony.

"Can I swap with Tony?" asked Ziva.

They had reached the landing and Gibbs was just about to send Ziva to clean her teeth.

"What do you mean?" he asked looked down at her.

"Well, if Tony wants to go to bed now, can I stay up until his bedtime?" she explained. It made perfect sense to her.

Gibbs laughed.

"Nope! Doesn't work that way I'm afraid," he said. "Go go and brush your teeth and go to the toilet."

"But I'm not tired," she argued.

"Not my problem," responded Gibbs. "Go!"

Grumbling, Ziva headed down the hall and into the bathroom. She thought that had been a perfectly reasonable suggestion.

As Tony got into bed after brushing his own teeth, he set the alarm on his watch to go off at 11.30. Not wanting it to wake Ziva, he placed the watch under his pillow and hoped it would still be loud enough to wake him. Plugging the ear piece into his iPod, Tony lay down and tried to relax. He watched as Ziva tossed and turned for a bit and then became quiet. Waiting a few more minutes to ensure she was in a deep sleep, Tony checked his watch, 8.37. Deciding he really should try and get some sleep, he turned off the iPod and put it on the nightstand. Turning to face the wall, it wasn't long before Tony was fast asleep.

It was around ten o'clock when Gibbs and his father were alerted to a noise coming from the direction of the front window. Standing up, Gibbs immediately went to take a look and was shocked to see Ziva tiptoeing back to the garage.

"What is it Leroy?" asked Jack anxiously.

"Ziva," replied Gibbs crossly. "I'll be back in a minute."

Jack smiled as Gibbs left the living room. Yep, those two were certainly a handful.

Deciding a surprise attack would be the best course of action, Gibbs quietly made his way to the laundry room. Seeing the back door was slightly ajar, Gibbs hid himself behind the wall, just outside the laundry room entrance.

It wasn't long before tiny footsteps could be heard and a small figure stealthily entered the room, noiselessly closing the exterior door.

As Ziva turned to make her way back to her room, she was rendered frozen when she saw the doorway to freedom was blocked by the large figure of her Dad.

"Hi Daddy," she said, trying to sound brave.

Gibbs stepped forward and flicked on the light.

"Hi Daddy? Is that all you have to say?" he asked sternly. Picking her up, he carried her through to the living room and sat her firmly on the couch.

"I think I'll go and make some coffee," said Jack, wanting to give his son and granddaughter some privacy. He stood and made his way out to the kitchen.

"Right young lady," began Gibbs, once his father had left. "Tell me exactly why you are wandering outside at ten o'clock at night!"

"I…I wanted to see the stars," stammered Ziva. "They look so pretty out here. You can see them so much better than you can at home."

"You can see the stars from your bedroom window," said Gibbs. "Why did you think it was necessary to go outside?"

"Because I wanted to see them without anything in the way," she answered. Looking up, Ziva tried to make eye contact, but the glare she was receiving had her quickly looking down into her lap again.

"I'm not buying it Ziva," replied Gibbs. "You know you are not allowed to go outside when it's dark. You know it's dangerous."

"But…but, I thought it would be OK here because it's a small town and everyone knows each other," she argued, trying desperately to get out of trouble.

"Ziva, it's never OK to just wander around at night, no matter where we are living," said Gibbs sternly. He looked down at the small figure sitting next to him. "And I'm pretty certain you know that, don't you?"

Continuing to look down, Ziva chose not to respond.

Gently grasping her chin and forcing her to make eye contact, Gibbs said again, "Don't you?"

After a few seconds of tense silence, Ziva finally whispered, "Yes Daddy."

"I thought so," said Gibbs, releasing her chin.

Standing her up, he placed her over his knee and applied three hard smacks to her bottom. The crying began immediately.

When he stood her up again, he took hold of her shoulders and said calmly, "Don't ever go outside at night on your own again. Is that understood?"

Letting her go, he watched her hop from side to side while rubbing her bottom as he waited for an answer.

"Ziva?" he prompted after a few seconds.

"Yes!" she wailed still rubbing furiously. "I understand!"

"Come on then," said Gibbs, taking her hand. "Let's get you back to bed."

When Gibbs returned, he saw a fresh mug of coffee sitting on the coffee table.

"Thanks Dad," he said as he picked up the mug and took a sip before seating himself on the couch.

Jack looked up from his position in the arm chair.

"So why did she go outside?" he asked.  
>"Apparently to look at the stars," replied Gibbs. "But I think there was more to it than that. At any rate, I don't think she'll be doing it again anytime soon."<p>

Jack chuckled and lifted his mug. Gesturing it towards Gibbs, he simply said, "To parenthood!"

Returning the gesture, Gibbs snorted, "Yeah, right. Parenthood," before taking a sip and settling back into the couch cushions.

****NCIS****

The house was completely silent when Tony tiptoed down the stairs at 11.40pm. Having woken up when his Dad led a crying Ziva into the room, Tony had felt the butterflies begin to soar around his stomach again when he discovered the reason behind the crying. He had to be crazy. Here he was doing the exact same thing that had resulted in Ziva getting a spanking. And she had only gone into the front yard! He was planning on riding a couple of blocks away. Pushing all thoughts of painful consequences from his mind, he made his way out into the garage. Looking around, he noticed his bike wasn't where it should be. As panic rose, he suddenly remembered he had left it leaning against the outside of the garage when he returned from visiting the bank. Lifting the garage door up a couple of feet, Tony slipped under and gently lowered it again. Spotting his bike, he grabbed the handlebars and was just about to mount when he noticed both tires were flattened like a pool of melted licorice under each wheel.

"What! No!" he whispered in frustration.

Leaving his bike, he re-entered the garage and looked around desperately for the bike pump. After five minutes of intense searching, Tony slumped to the floor in defeat. He checked his watch, 11.49. Even if he ran all the way, he wouldn't make in time to meet Rory. It was a ten minute bike ride away. Acknowledging there was nothing he could do except go back to bed, Tony gave a heavy sigh and left the garage.

When he was safely back in bed, Tony thought about what Rory would be thinking.

"I bet he thinks I've chickened out," thought Tony to himself. "Now he'll never be my friend."

Dwelling on this thought, Tony fell into a restless sleep.

What felt like only a few minutes later, Tony was awakened by a hand gently shaking his shoulder.

"Tony, wake up."

Hearing the urgency in his Father's voice, Tony opened his eyes and sat up.

"What's wrong?" he asked drowsily.

Despite the fact the sun was blazing into the room, Tony felt like it was still the middle of the night.

"Tony, do you know where Rory and his brother might be?" asked Gibbs. Tony quickly picked up on the concern in his Dad's voice.

Feeling uneasy, Tony replied, "Why?"

"Because they're missing, along with Matt Tucker," answered Gibbs. "If you know where they might be, it's important that you tell us. Their parents are very worried. And so is the Sheriff.

"The…the Sheriff?" stammered Tony.

"Yes Tony," said Gibbs impatiently. "Do you know where they might be?"

"Um…maybe," replied Tony. "I'm not exactly sure though."

"Well, whatever you know, come and tell it to Ed," said Gibbs firmly, taking Tony's arm.

"Can I get dressed first?" asked Tony.

Sighing, Gibbs said, "OK, but be very quick. Meet us in the store in two minutes."

As Tony quickly put on some clothes and went to the bathroom, he thought about what he was going to say. It was bad enough that he hadn't been able to meet them last night, but to have to tell on them as well. Tony held his head. This situation was going from bad to worse every second he lived it.

Finally entering the store, Tony was confronted by his Dad, his Grandpa and another man who must be the Sheriff. Stepping forward, Gibbs put his hand on Tony's back and directed him towards the third man.

"Ed, this is my son Tony," introduced Gibbs. "He's been hanging around with Rory the last couple of days."

Tony looked at the Sheriff, He appeared to be about the same age as his Dad and he wondered if they had gone to school together as well, especially since his Dad called the man Ed.

"Tony, do you have any idea where the Johnson boys and Matt Tucker might be? It looks as if they may have snuck out during the night which apparently isn't unusual," added Ed with a sneer. "They're normally back in their beds by morning but today they weren't."

Tony took a deep breath. Should he tell? What if something had happened to them? His Dad did say the mines were dangerous.

"Son, if you know anything, I need you to tell me right now," said Ed. "Ain't helping anyone by stalling."

Gibbs put his arm around Tony's shoulder. The touch was warm, and Tony felt himself begin to unravel.

"Tony, you're not protecting them if they're hurt somewhere. You're only added to the danger," said Gibbs wisely.

Swallowing hard, Tony looked up at the Sheriff.

"They were going to meet at a mine somewhere. Dylan had found a new entrance to one of the big mines that had collapsed sometime ago, blocking the pathway. And they were going to smash it open and explore the rest of the mine. I don't know where it is because I was only supposed to meet them at the lake, but it's apparently a big mine."

Tony stopped. He suddenly realized what he had just said. He'd all but admitted he had been planning to go with them. He had to explain that he was trying to talk Rory out of it. He had to let his Dad know that he wasn't going back on a promise. He glanced up at his Dad but saw only shock and disappointment on his face. Suddenly, all words of explanation vanished leaving Tony only with the knowledge of how much he had hurt his Dad.

"Must be the Drummond mine," said Ed looking first to Gibbs and then Jack.

"Sounds like it," said Jack. "Do you need any volunteers?"

"Not just yet," said Ed "I'll take the rescue crew with me. Hopefully they've just got stuck somewhere and need assistance to get out."

Ed reached out and patted Tony on the shoulder.

"Thanks Son," he said before heading out the door, the familiar 'ding' sounding hollow in the tense silence that remained.

Sitting at the table, Gibbs indicated Tony should do the same.

"Explain," was all he said, but Tony was in no doubt of the anger that was bubbling just under the surface.

"I wasn't going to go to the mines Dad," said Tony hurriedly. "I promised you I wouldn't. I only agreed with Rory so that I could buy some time to figure out what to do. He was wanting me to prove that they could trust me even though he kept calling you a cop. And I said they could. So he dared me to come with them to the mines. We were supposed to meet at the lake at midnight. But I wasn't going to go to the mines, honest Dad. I'd decided to think of something else we could do instead that would be just as cool and I was going to persuade Rory to come to the haunted bank with me and see if we could see any ghosts."

Tony paused at looked at Gibbs.

Gibbs remained silent.

After a minute he finally said, "So what happened?"

"Well, when I got to my bike last night, the tires were flat," said Tony softly.

"Why were they flat?" asked Gibbs.

"I…I don't know," said Tony shrugging. "Maybe I hit a sharp rock or something yesterday. Anyway, I didn't go."

"But, if your tires had been fine, you would have met Rory at the lake, at midnight, by yourself?" asked Gibbs, his voice dangerously calm.

Tony looked down.

"Yes Sir," he said almost whispering the words.

Gibbs breathed deeply and, closing his eyes, he pinched the bridge of his nose with his hand.

Finally opening his eyes again, he looked at Tony and said quietly, "Go to your room Tony. I need some time to think this through."

"I'm…I'm really sorry Dad," began Tony, tears pooling in his eyes. "I wasn't going to go to the mine, honest."

"It's the fact that you were planning on going out at all that's the problem," replied Gibbs, his voice rising slightly as the anger surfaced just a fraction.

Controlling himself with another deep breath, Gibbs said calmly. "Just go to your room Tony. Right now I need to think about this and calm down before I speak with you."

When Tony didn't move, Gibbs said, a little more harshly then he meant, "GO! Now!"

Scraping back his chair, Tony all but fled the room. Tears pouring down his face, he raced up the stairs and flung himself face down on the bed he'd not so long ago vacated.

Crying into the covers, Tony angrily berated himself on being so easily manipulated by Rory. Why hadn't he just stood up to the boy and said no! He wouldn't be in this mess. And, worst of all, he wouldn't have seen the terrible look of disappointment that crossed his Dad's face when he'd realized just what Tony had been prepared to do, simply to prove the point that his Dad couldn't control his life.

Punching the pillow with all the force he could muster, Tony submitted to the bitter pangs of regret and remorse as he continued to sob uncontrollably.


	14. Making Amends

**Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. I'm so glad you are still enjoying this story. **

**The 'gossip' scene in this chapter is sadly very typical of small towns. Having lived and worked in a small town (less than 700 people) for 6 years, I was amazed by the way people could give you the shirt off their backs one minute, then ruthlessly cut you down the next. However, I'd like to add, the women's conversation in no way reflects my own opinion. Which leads me to the next point.**

**To the anonymous reviewer who accused me of snobbery. I'm sorry that you interpreted my story in that way. I actually come from a long line of coal miners from Northern England and in no way believe they are 'bad people'. In my mind, the mines in Stillwater have long since being shut therefore neither the Johnson's or the Tucker's are mining families. Our world is filled with neglectful parents from all socio-economic walks. Yes, both families are 'battlers' but then so were the Halloway's from my previous story. I grew up in a low socio-economic area, large city suburbia where crime, unwanted teenage pregnancy and abuse was rife. However, there were also families who worked hard, loved hard and did everything they could to see their kids succeed. So this is where my experience lies and I find these families easy to write about. Many of my closest friends dropped out of school when they were only 15 and now have highly successful jobs. I find it interesting that you should accuse me of being judgemental when you, yourself, judged me without knowing any facts.**

**Hope you all enjoy this next chapter. **

Chapter 14 - Making Amends

"Hey handsome, what ya doin'?"

Gibbs smiled as he heard her greeting through his cell phone. He could tell by the tone in her voice she was smiling too. It felt so good to hear her again. Despite having called each night, this call was one of need and comfort. Having sent Tony to his room, Gibbs had been at a complete loss as to what to do. Deciding to take a walk to the lake, he had called Jenny, more out of a need to hear her voice rather than a desire for advice.

She listened quietly while he debriefed, adding the expected 'hmmms' and 'yeahs' at the appropriate times. When he finally finished, he waited for her to say something, surprised at how much better he already felt having just chronicled the previous twenty four hours.

"Well," she said, giving a small chuckle. "I guess we now know Ziva wasn't looking at the stars."

Gibbs snorted. "Yeah," he acknowledged.

"Go easy on her," Jenny said softly. "She meant well."

"I've already punished her for that," replied Gibbs. "I mean I'm not thrilled she lied to me about what she was doing, but I can understand her motive. Would've done the same thing."

"So then, what are we going to do about the son and heir?" asked Jenny. "I guess you need to take into account he wasn't going to go to the mines and, he actually didn't end up going anywhere."

"But his intent was to take off, Jen," argued Gibbs. "If it wasn't for Ziva looking out for him, that's exactly what he would have done."

"Ok," agreed Jenny. "So he needs to be punished. You've never had a problem with that before, why the hesitancy now?"

"It's not the punishment I'm worried about," said Gibbs, rubbing his forehead. "It's the rebellion that's got me stumped. He's just so argumentative these days and moody. I know it's hormones," Gibbs added quickly when he heard Jenny's intake of breath indicating she was about to speak. "But I just don't know what I should let go and what I should pull him up for."

"Yes you do Jethro," said Jenny softly. "You were the one who told me when I was ready to throttle him a couple of weeks ago. Remember?"

When Gibbs didn't respond, she continued.

"If his attitude is in anyway disrespectful to others, or it hurts them in some way, then we pull him up for it. If it's just a mood or a means of expressing how he's feeling, we let it go."

She waited for Gibbs to speak.

"Yeah I know," he said sighing. "It's just so damn frustrating. He pushes my buttons and I have to try so hard sometimes to stay calm."

"He's eleven, Hon," said Jenny simply. "He a pre-teen who's stretching his wings and figuring out his place in the world. And he's doing it because he feels safe. Be thankful he's testing the boundaries now and learning from his mistakes while he's still young. He never had that chance before. He only really became accountable for his actions once he was an adult. This is part of that second chance."

Gibbs nodded. Then, realizing Jenny couldn't see him, said softly, "Yeah, you're right."

"Sorry Hon, what was that?" asked Jenny, an edge of mischief in her tone.

"You heard," replied Gibbs gruffly but she had made him smile.

So, how's things your end?" he asked, genuinely interested in what was going on. He knew she had already informed Eli and Senior about their missing children and was now just waiting for the next stage of their plan to be implemented.

He heard her sigh.

"Ah, Eli contacted me about an hour ago," he heard her say. "He's insisting on joining in on the search. I've told him there would be no point and it would be a waste of his resources, but I don't think I have him convinced. He's also been snooping around, trying to find out what kind of mission Ziva and Tony were supposedly assigned. He's made contact with the LA office as well as representatives in Columbia, Venezuela and Puerto Rico. I think he's suspects something Jethro. But, seeing how he hasn't confronted anyone as yet, I guessing he doesn't have anything concrete."

"Well, Eli was always going to be our thorn," replied Gibbs. "Sadly I don't think Senior cares enough to give a damn about what happens to Tony. But Eli? Well, he's a completely different kettle of fish."

"I'm expecting to take some heat," said Jenny. "Just hoping our documents are strong enough to hold up to scrutiny should any of them be tested."

"Abby's pretty thorough," interjected Gibbs. "I guess time will tell."

"Yeah," agreed Jenny. "Anyway, I've got a meeting in five so I should get going. Sec Nav wants to be briefed on how the search is going."

"Good luck," said Gibbs. "Love you."

"Love you too," replied Jenny. "Give the kids a big hug from me. And don't worry about Tony. He's a good kid. Has to be, he has a pretty wonderful father."

"Yeah, right," snorted Gibbs and he hung up.

Walking away from the lake, Gibbs felt decidedly better. He was calm enough now to confront Tony without losing his temper. As he crossed the road and walked through the front gate, his attention was drawn to the wailing sounds of sirens as emergency vehicles made their way along the main road. A sudden chill ran down his spine and his gut churned. Those sounds were never good, especially when three children were missing.

****NCIS****

Entering Tony's room, the first thing that struck Gibbs when he saw his son, were the red puffy eyes and a look of complete anguish and dejection on his face.

Walking towards the bed, he held out his arms to offer comfort. Tony immediately scrambled up and flung himself into Gibbs' chest. Rubbing Tony's back and rocking the boy gently, Gibbs took a seat on the single bed and waited for Tony to cry himself out.

"I'm s-s-so s-s-s-orry Dad," sobbed Tony into Gibbs' shirt.

"Shh, it's OK Tony," said Gibbs soothingly. "I know you are."

Allowing a few more minutes where the only sounds were the hiccupping sobs of Tony, Gibbs continued to rock his son and hold him tightly. Having heard the earlier sirens, he couldn't help but wonder just how close he may have come to losing his child last night.

As the sobs subsided, Gibbs cleared his throat and said, "So, tell me what you're sorry for?"

Wiping his eyes, and leaning back on his Dad's lap, Tony said quietly, "For being an idiot and letting Rory manipulate me, for thinking that I could deliberately disobey you just to prove a point but, most of all...I'm so sorry for making you not like me anymore."

The final words were spoken with an outpouring of further sobs.

"Hey," said Gibbs suddenly. "The first two things I agree with, but why would you think I wouldn't like you anymore. You know I love you."

"I know," gasped Tony. "I know you l-l-love me. But th-that doesn't m-m-mean you have t-t-to like me anymore. I s-s-saw the look on your f-f-f-face. You were s-s-s-so disappointed. And I c-c-c-caused that look."

Again, Tony buried his face in Gibbs' chest. The release of having spoken the words that tore at his heart was almost soul-wrenching and Gibbs found his own eyes welling with tears.

Sitting in silence, Gibbs simply continued to rock and comfort until he knew Tony was ready to hear the truth.

"I'm not going to deny it, Tony," began Gibbs gently. "I was very disappointed in some of the choices you made yesterday and last night. But, at the same time, I was also very proud of some of the choices you made. You didn't dismiss your promise to me about not going to the mines. You worked hard to find a solution that would allow you to keep your promise and yet not look like a coward in front of Rory. I think, of all the choices you made yesterday and last night, that one stands out as the most important. You honoured your word."

Tony sniffed and nodded.

"Now sometimes," continued Gibbs."You're going to make choices that I'm not going to be happy with. But don't confuse disappointment with dislike. When it comes to the people I love, there's no difference between liking and loving. It's your actions I may not like, it's never going to be you. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yeah," croaked Tony. "But I messed up didn't I."

"Ah, yep," replied Gibbs frankly. "You could say that."

He smiled and watched as Tony returned a somewhat watery grin.

"So, how much trouble am I in?" Tony asked tentatively.

"Oh, quite a bit," replied Gibbs. "Although not as much as you would have been if Ziva hadn't let the air out of your tires last night."

"Huh?" said Tony, frowning.

"Last night when I caught Ziva outside 'looking at the stars', I think she was letting the air out of your tires so you wouldn't go to the mine," explained Gibbs.

"But how…" began Tony."Oh, hang on. She must have overheard Rory and me talking yesterday."

Then realizing the outcome of Ziva's actions, Tony said, "It's my fault she got a spanking last night."

"No Tony," said Gibbs, quick to correct the boy. "Ziva got a spanking because of her own choices."

"Yeah, but if she wasn't trying to protect me, she wouldn't have gone outside," argued Tony.

"She could have come to me and told me what was going on," replied Gibbs. "She chose to do something she knew was wrong. The spanking was for sneaking outside after dark, not for protecting you."

Gibbs gave Tony a chance to digest that piece of information before continuing.

"So, let's get back to you," said Gibbs after a minute.

"Do we have to?" asked Tony.

Gibbs was pleased to see the cheeky spark returning. Tony fell hard, but he was quick to pick himself back up.

"Yep, we do," replied Gibbs. "So, let's go over some of the things you just mentioned. You said you let Rory manipulate you. How so?"

"I let him talk me into doing something I knew was wrong," said Tony.

Gibbs nodded.

"You also said you chose to deliberately disobey me to prove a point. What was that point Tony," asked Gibbs.

"I guess I was mad that you were trying to control who I could hang around with," replied Tony honestly. "And, I was also angry with the way you spoke to Rory because that was the reason he dared me to go to the mines. He said he couldn't trust me because you were a cop."

"So what was the point you were trying to prove?" asked Gibbs again.

"I… I don't know. I guess I wanted to prove that I could do what I wanted. That I didn't care what you thought, but I was wrong. I do care."

Tony put his head down and wiped away a fresh tear that had managed to escape.

"I'm glad Tony," said Gibbs softly. "Because I care too. What you were considering to do last night was not only reckless and thoughtless, but it was incredibly dangerous. You are eleven years old. You are old enough to know that sneaking out in the middle of the night and riding your bike two blocks away to explore an old building, was never going to be an acceptable behaviour. Aren't you?"

"Yes Sir," gulped Tony.

"Right," continued Gibbs. "You are grounded for the rest of today. I'm going to put you in my room seeing as you are currently sharing with Ziva and you do not leave that room unless it's to go to the bathroom. I'll bring up your lunch and snacks and you can eat them in there. And while you're grounded today, I want you to write down what you could have done when Rory dared you to go to the mines. What could you have said or done that may have avoided all this grief? And what have you learnt from this so that it doesn't happen again."

Tony nodded.

"I'm going to write those points down for you so you don't forget," said Gibbs. "It's up to you when you do it, but I expect it done by six o'clock tonight. That's when your grounding is lifted."

"Do I get to come out tonight?" asked Tony in surprise. He had figured when his Dad said the rest of the day he wouldn't be able to join the family until tomorrow.

"Yes," replied Gibbs. "You can have dinner with us and watch some TV before bedtime.

Tony nodded again relieved he wasn't isolated for the whole day.

"Dad?" he asked after a brief silence.

"Yes Tony," replied Gibbs.

"What if Ziva hadn't let down my tires and Rory and I had gone to the bank last night? What would have happened then?" asked Tony tentatively.

"Then you would have lost the right to have your bike for a week, as well as the grounding," answered Gibbs solemnly.

"I guess I owe Ziva a thank you then," said Tony.

"Hmmm, I guess you do," replied Gibbs.

He shifted Tony off his lap and stood up. Scanning the room, he found a note pad and pen and quickly wrote down the three points he wanted Tony to write about.

"I want you to pick a couple of books to bring with you, in case you want to read," suggested Gibbs.

When Tony had done so, he was ushered out of his room and into his Dad's. Looking around at the bare space, he sighed regretfully. No chance of getting distracted in here, he thought to himself.

"Did I tell you how much I hate been grounded," said Tony as he flung himself on the bed.

"Good," replied Gibbs. "Maybe you'll think next time to avoid it."

Closing the door quietly, Gibbs stood in the hall and breathed a deep sigh of relief. Tony understood what he had done wrong and was genuinely sorry. And, despite having to get through the day's punishment, Gibbs felt that Tony was OK with the consequences. Jenny was right. If he could instill these lessons while Tony was young then, just maybe, he could avoid the acting out and difficult lessons the previous adult Tony had endured during his late teenage years and early adulthood.

Comforted by that thought, Gibbs headed downstairs and joined his father and daughter in the store.

****NCIS****

As Gibbs headed upstairs around eleven o'clock to see where Ziva had disappeared to, he was directed towards his bedroom by the sound of voices talking quietly. He leaned against the wall and listened to the conversation.

"So, why did you do it then?" he heard Tony ask.

"Because Daddy said the mines were really dangerous and I didn't want you getting hurt," Ziva replied.

"But I wasn't going to go to the mines. I'd already decided that," said Tony.

"I didn't know that," said Ziva. "I just heard you tell Rory that you would meet him at midnight and go to the mines. So I tried to think of a way I could stop you. That's when I decided I would let the air out of your tires."

"Even though you knew you'd get into trouble if you were caught?" asked Tony.

Ziva must have shrugged in response, Gibbs assumed, as it was Tony who spoke again.

"I bet you're sorry you tried to help me," he said.

"Why?" asked Ziva.

"Because you ended up getting a spanking for it," explained Tony.

"No, I'm not sorry," replied Ziva. "The spanking hurt and I felt bad not telling Daddy but I was more scared about you getting hurt."

Gibbs heard Tony give a short laugh.

"You're a pretty amazing sister Zi," said Tony affectionately. "Thank you."

"So, you're not mad I broke your bike?" asked Ziva.

"You didn't break it. The tires can be pumped up again," replied Tony. "And, no, I'm not mad. You stopped me from doing something really stupid. Something I should have been brave enough to do for myself."

"Phew, that's a relief," said Ziva. "I was scared you would be mad."

"Nah," said Tony. "But I know someone who will be mad if he catches you in here. You should go Zi, I don't want you getting in trouble for me again."

"I know," replied Ziva. "But I just wanted to say I was sorry for letting the air out of your tires. I was going to tell Daddy as well, but I guess he's already figured it out."

"Yes, he has," said Gibbs, stepping into the room. He had to suppress a laugh when both Tony and Ziva jumped violently and instantly paled.

"What are you doing in here young lady," said Gibbs trying his hardest to sound stern.

"I..I just wanted to tell Tony I was sorry for letting the air out of his tires," stammered Ziva.

"So, you weren't just looking at the stars then?" asked Gibbs.

"I did do that as well," replied Ziva. "So it wasn't really a lie, I just didn't mention the other thing I did out there."

Unable to keep up his stern act, Gibbs smiled and lifted Ziva into the air.

"Ziva, Ziva, Ziva! What am I going to do with you?" he said as he tossed her up and caught her in his arms.

"Should I tickle you for a whole five minutes?" he suggested as he attacked her ribs with his fingers.

"Should I spank you again?" he asked, flipping her over and pinching her bottom.

"Or should pop you in the post and send you off to Timbuktu?"

"No Daddy," squealed Ziva, laughing uncontrollably.

Sitting on the bed and settling Ziva on his lap, he sighed before saying, "You know you're not allowed in here when Tony is being grounded. But…" he added as he saw both Ziva and Tony open their mouths to argue. "I understand why you did come in here and I'm willing to overlook it just this once."

Kneeling up on his lap and cupping his face with her hands, she gave him a loud kiss before saying, "Thank you Daddy."

"That's OK," he said smiling at her. "But don't do it again."

"I won't," she said. "I'll pretend I'm an only child for the rest of today." She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed tightly.

Standing up with Ziva still in his arms, Gibbs turned to Tony.

"I'll be back in a minute to bring you a drink and a snack. Have you started the writing yet?" he asked.

"I haven't written anything yet, but I've been thinking about what I can write," replied Tony.

"OK," said Gibbs. "Don't put it off for too long. I'd hate for you to have to stay in here after six o'clock because you haven't finished the writing task."

"I'll do it after I have my snack," said Tony.

Nodding, Gibbs turned and headed out the door with Ziva perched on his hip. As he entered the hall, he set her on the floor.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the tires," said Ziva softly. "I just didn't want to see Tony get hurt and I knew if I told you, he would get into big trouble."

"I know," empathized Gibbs. "I get why you did it. And I probably would have done the same. But next time, when it's something that could be dangerous, please tell me. OK?"

"OK Daddy," said Ziva nodding. "Am I in trouble?"

"No," said Gibbs, smiling at the relief that crossed her face. "You were punished last night. I think that's enough."

"Me too," agreed Ziva. "You sure spank hard."

"Come on," said Gibbs taking her hand. "Let's go down and get you a snack. Then, how about we go for a walk down the street before lunch? There's another playground further down near the train station."

"Yay!" cheered Ziva, as she skipped along side him. "And maybe we could go into the second hand store again and look for something that Tony might like?"

"I guess we could do that as well," agreed Gibbs. "But we wait until his grounding is over before we give it to him," warned Gibbs, in case Ziva was getting any ideas.

"Of course Daddy," she replied knowingly. "Grounding has to be dull and boring otherwise what would be the point?" she added before skipping off towards the kitchen.

Watching her leave, Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"Kids!" he exclaimed, shaking his head. Then, laughing to himself, he followed Ziva into the kitchen.

When Gibbs entered the store ten minutes later, it was to find Betty Hannigan and Lorna Drummond deep in conversation with his father. And, judging by the looks on their faces, the topic of conversation was not a jovial one.

On hearing Gibbs enter, all three turned and looked on solemnly as he made his way towards the counter.

"What's up?" asked Gibbs.

"Bad news Leroy," answered his father. "Betty was just saying that they've found the kids, It looks as if part of mine collapsed on them. Rory and Dylan were taken by ambulance to the local hospital. They'll be ok, save for a couple of broken bones and cuts and bruises. But Matt Tucker is pretty bad. They're organizing an airlift to take him to County Hospital."

Almost on cue, the sound of a helicopter could be heard in the distance.

"What're his injuries?" asked Gibbs.

"Not entirely sure," replied Betty Hannigan. "But Judy down at the clinic said something about a collapsed lung and head injuries. It's doesn't sound good."

"No," agreed Gibbs. "It doesn't.

"Damn fool kids," cursed Jack. "Why can't they just stay away from the area? Lord knows how many times they've had to board up the entrances only to have them smashed opened again."

"Well maybe this time, they'll have learnt their lesson," added Lorna.

"Heavy price to pay though," replied Jack, shaking his head sadly.

"Dad, I'm gonna take Ziva for a walk down to the station. Get some air and let her play on the playground down there," said Gibbs, interrupting the heavy silence that had descended on the group. "We'll be back by one."

"Alright son," replied Jack. "See if you can find out how bad Matt is."

"I'll have Ziva with me Dad," reminded Gibbs. "I won't be asking too many questions. She doesn't need to hear any details until we know they're facts."

As Jack nodded in agreement, Ziva entered the store.

"I'm finished Daddy, can we go now?" she asked, stepping towards him and grabbing his hand.

"Sure thing, pumpkin," replied Gibbs.

Nodding his head to the three adults in the room, Gibbs led Ziva out the door subconsciously registering the ever faithful 'ding'.

As Ziva ran around the playground with some other children, trying out the various equipment, Gibbs sat on the bench. To anyone watching, he just looked like a typical parent keeping an eye out for his child. However, his ears were finely tuned to the conversation taking place about 5 yards away.

"Apparently his left lung has collapsed," he heard a voice he recognized as Judy McKie's, say. Judy worked at the local medical clinic and he figured she was on a break. "They've taken him straight into surgery."

"Just terrible," sympathized a second unfamiliar voice. "Poor Allison, she must be beside herself with worry."

"It's not right," remarked another unfamiliar voice. "Jason should have better control of his son. Letting him run wild like he does. Mind you, he was no better. The times I saw him wandering the streets early hours of the morning."

"The Johnson boys faired a bit better," said Judy again. "Cuts, bruises and a broken arm for Rory. Broken Collar bone, dislocated shoulder and cracked ribs for Dylan. Rose is with them now."

There was a brief silence in which Gibbs imagined they were probably thinking up some derogatory remark to hand down to Rose and Dan Johnson. It didn't take long.

"I heard Rose is mighty familiar with what bruises feel like, if you know what I'm saying," said one of the unfamiliar voices.

"That Dan Johnson is no better than Jason Tucker and we can easily see the apple doesn't fall far from the tree," remarked the second unfamiliar voice.

Gibbs inwardly seethed. This was one aspect of living in a small town he could never get used to. The constant and often much elaborated gossip. He disliked Jason Tucker and Dan Johnson as much most others but he didn't agree with the snide comments and whispered innuendos that so often polluted the country air.

He suddenly became aware that the voices were now hushed. Although still gossiping, the women seemed to have taken a different route. He knew why. Their focus had now shifted to him. On catching the words, 'store', 'kids' along with the phrase, 'haven't heard anything about a wife', Gibbs inwardly smirked before standing and calling to Ziva.

"Come on Sweet Pea, let's see if we can find something for Tony."

"Coming Daddy," she called, sliding down the pole on the climbing frame.

He took her hand and the two of them headed back to the second hand store, leaving the three women to continue their speculation to their hearts content.

As Ziva skipped along beside him, she seemed deep in thought.

"You're quiet," remarked Gibbs. "Anything wrong?"

She suddenly stopped and, because she was holding his hand, Gibbs was forced to stop as well. He looked down at her with concern.

"What's up?" he asked.

She sighed.

"Some of the kids were saying that those boys that went to the mine got hurt." She looked up at him, imploring to know the truth.

"Yes Ziva, they did," replied Gibbs truthfully. "I don't know the exact details but Tony's friend Rory and his brother are in hospital with broken bones as well as some cuts and bruises. But they will be OK."

"The kids said one of the boys might die," she said quietly.

"That's Matt," informed Gibbs. "We don't know whether that's true or not Ziva, but he is pretty badly hurt."

She paused and absentmindedly looked around, before saying, "That could have been Tony."

Crouching down to her level, Gibbs gently took hold of her shoulders.

"Yes, it could have," he said calmly. "But it wasn't. Tony is safe."

She nodded her head but was obviously still processing what she'd heard.

"I hope that boy doesn't die," she finally said.

"Yeah, me too," replied Gibbs.

Continuing their walk down the street, Gibbs and Ziva soon arrived at the second hand store.

"Good afternoon," greeted Mrs Dobson. "Back so soon. Are you having fun on your bike?"

"Yes thank you," replied Ziva. "I learnt how to ride it in just one afternoon. I got some scrapes and bruises but I did it. And yesterday my brother took me riding on the bike tracks. He's eleven but I was able to keep up with him."

She paused for breath, enabling Mrs Dobson to say, "Well that is special. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

"I am," confirmed Ziva. "Now we're looking for something for my brother. He's a bit bored and did something really bad so he's grounded today but I want to find him something that he can play with so that he doesn't make bad choices."

Ziva smiled and, dragging Gibbs with her, headed towards the toy section, leaving Mrs Dobson looking like she'd just stepped out of a whirlwind.

By the time they got home, it was almost one o'clock. Ziva was quick to show Jack her new purchases comprising a jigsaw puzzle, a well worn box of dominoes and a rusty horn she decided would go on Tony's bike.

While Jack smiled indulgently at his granddaughter, Gibbs slipped upstairs to see what Tony would like for lunch. On entering the room, he saw the boy laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Tony turned to face him as soon as the door opened.

"Hi," he said, smiling at Gibbs.

"Hi yourself," replied Gibbs. "Just thought I'd check to see if you wanted a sandwich for lunch or some of Grandpa's leftover meatloaf."

"Meatloaf please," said Tony, turning back to the ceiling.

"Have you done the writing yet?" asked Gibbs, coming into the room.

"Yeah," sighed Tony. "It's over there."

He pointed to the small table in the corner of the room.

Gibbs went over and collected the pages. The first page was the one on which he had jotted down the three points for Tony to write about. The second page, were Tony's responses. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Gibbs began to read.

_1. What could I have done when Rory dared me?_

_When Rory dared me to go into the mines I should have said no and not gone. I shouldn't have tried to think of something else we could do because leaving the house without permission is wrong._

_2. What could I have said to Rory?_

_I could have said 'No, I don't want to go' but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have said that because it makes me look like a chicken. I guess I could have said that it is dangerous and I don't want any of us to get hurt but that would have made me look like a girl. I did try and tell Rory that the mines were boring and that we should try something else but trying something else was probably not a great idea either. I don't really know what I could have said._

_3. What have I learnt from this?_

_Don't let people manipulate me. Stand up for myself and speak up if I don't agree with something. That maybe Rory isn't a true friend because he wanted me to do something that was wrong. That doing something wrong just to prove a point doesn't work. It only makes me feel really bad and I hated seeing my dad disappointed with me. That I have a little sister who is willing to look out for me. That I hate being grounded._

Gibbs smirked when he read the last comment. He was impressed with Tony's honesty and understood that Tony felt trapped once Rory had dared him. Drawing Tony's attention to point two, he said, "I know once Rory had dared you, it was pretty hard to try and get out of it. And I think you did some pretty quick thinking as it was. But, how could you have avoided the whole dare thing from happening in the first place?"

Tony looked down for a minute and thought.

"He only dared me because he felt he couldn't trust me. And he didn't trust me because you acted like a cop," Tony said. He looked up at Gibbs. "Those were his words not mine," he quickly amended.

"I get that," replied Gibbs. "But why do you think I asked you not to play with Rory?"

"Because he does stupid things sometimes?" Tony responded, making it sound more like a question than a statement.

"Well that, but it's more because of his attitude towards people. My job has trained me to know people not just by what they do but by what they say. When Rory spoke to me, his attitude showed me that he had no respect for his parents, no respect for me, and that he was almost proud he had Dylan were getting away with doing things they knew were wrong. That's not the sort of person I want you hanging out with Tony."

"So why did you change your mind and say that I could hang out with him then?" asked Tony.

"Well, I could see that banning you was only making you angry. So I hoped that you would be able to see for yourself that Rory doesn't really care about other people. His only interest is to do things he knows are wrong and to drag others in with him. That's why I made you promise me you wouldn't go to the mines. I had a feeling Rory would try to convince you to do something wrong, and I hoped the promise you made to me would deter you from going there."

"It did," said Tony.

"Yes, and as I said early, that was the most important choice you made, it's the choice I most cared about."

"It did make me mad when you told me I couldn't hang out with Rory," said Tony. "Then when you told me about some of the stuff they had done around town, especially things that hurt other people, I started to understand why. But, I don't know, I still wanted to hang out with him even though I kind of didn't."

"Do you remember when we had that talk about hormones and puberty?"

Tony nodded.

"Well, it's those hormones that are affecting you at the moment," continued Gibbs. "Even though your body may not have started to go through big changes yet, you brain and mind have already begun their journey. You'll notice your mood is affected and, especially, your decision making skills. You start to want to take more risks, do things that may be dangerous, you want to prove yourself, show that you know what's best for you. All those things are perfectly normal Tony. Hanging out with Rory and his brother sparked that need to want to take risks and try new things. Plus, you wanted to piss me off."

Tony looked up at his Dad in shock.

"Well, you did didn't you?" asked Gibbs again.

"Um, yeah, I guess," mumbled Tony.

"That's fine Tony. Trust me, I did lots of things just to annoy my Dad," laughed Gibbs. "The thing you have to ask yourself is: 'Am I doing something because I really want to do it' or, 'Am I doing it just to prove a point?"

Again Tony nodded.

"So then, let's go back to point two," said Gibbs. "Can you think of a moment in time when you could have changed the way things went with Rory?"

Tony thought. He thought about the two occasions he had spoken to Rory and then he had it.

"Yesterday, when we went to the playground, Rory was there and after we said hi, he started to walk away. That's when I should have just let him go and not called him back. I guess that's when I gave him the chance to dare me."

This time it was Gibbs turn to nod his head. Tony was a smart boy. This was a difficult task for anyone, but for an eleven year old to recognize that pivotal moment in time where one action sparked a particular reaction, was quite impressive.

"But the thing is," continued Tony. "I can see that now, but knowing it at the time is really hard."

"I know Tony," agreed Gibbs. "That's what we call hindsight. But the important thing is, you recognized when that moment took place. You now understand the moment when things went the wrong way and now you can learn from that. So, the next time you are caught in a similar situation, you have a better understanding of what is going on. You may still choose to go ahead and do something dangerous, but at least you will be making a more informed choice. All I can do, is help you to recognize those moments and trust that you'll do the right thing."

"But what if I don't?" asked Tony.

"Then we do a repeat of today. We talk about it, hopefully discover again when that moment occurred, and you find yourself grounded," replied Gibbs.

Tony sighed.

"Now that I've figured out that moment, can we forget about the rest of the day?" asked Tony hopefully.

"Nope," replied Gibbs.

"Well, what about if you give me a really hard spanking instead to cover the rest of the day," suggested Tony, wondering if that really was the best idea.

"No Tony," said Gibbs firmly. "Your punishment is to be grounded until 6pm tonight. No arguments or negotiations."

"But it's soooo boring," whined Tony.

"Is it making you think twice about doing something like this again?" asked Gibbs.

Tony hesitated. Maybe if he said no, his Dad might think of another punishment.

"Bearing in mind, if you lie to me I may just add another hour onto this grounding," added Gibbs, a slight smirk forming at his mouth.

Tony's eyes widened in alarm.

"Yes," he answered quickly.

"Good choice," remarked Gibbs standing up.

Holding up the pages in front of Tony, Gibbs said, "That was really good work, Tony. You answered honestly and thoughtfully. Well done."

Tony smiled at the praise.

"I'll go and get you some lunch," said Gibbs pocketing the pages. "Then, after lunch, why don't you try and have a sleep. It will make the time go faster and give you a chance to catch up on the restless night you probably had last night."

"Yeah, I think I might," said Tony, stretching out on the bed again and resuming his ceiling staring. "Can you make it a big piece of meatloaf?" he added, just as Gibbs was opening the door.

"I'll see what I can do," replied Gibbs.

Tony watched as his Dad left the room and shut the door. Sighing deeply, he rolled over and looked at the clock, 1.25pm.

"This is gonna be a really long day," he groaned.


End file.
